Blind to Love
by Sister of the Moon
Summary: LIASON This story goes back to Courtney's drug days. What if things had gone differently? Jason and Elizabeth become friends again and help each other through one of the hardest times they will ever have to face.
1. Friendship

**Blind to Love:** Friendship

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_Welcome to my new story! This is going to go back to when Jason and Courtney were together, and Courtney had started taking drugs but no one knows about it yet. In case anyone has a perfect memory of the storyline at the time, Jason and Courtney were not going to have a baby, Carly did not get kidnapped that second time by Alcazar. Courtney started drugs as a way to cope with Jason's lifestyle, nothing more. Carly is still pregnant with Morgan. Ric was given a choice from Sonny to leave town or get killed. Ric chose to leave. Elizabeth is slowly remaking her life and she's realized that she was a fool for walking out on Jason and would like a friendship with him. Emily is back in town, but has no cancer. Alcazar number two is still around, but Faith isn't. I think that's it for now. Enjoy!_

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_--- Kelly's_

Elizabeth was beginning to feel the strain of her double shift. She and Penny had worked the first shift of the day and Penny was supposed to have worked with Courtney for the second one. Courtney, however, had called in sick. Sick, Elizabeth and the other waitresses had decided, was a euphemism for lazy that was wearing thin. They had called almost everyone on the emergency list, but couldn't find a replacement. Elizabeth kept the extra money in her mind as she dragged through her second shift. It was a slow night, luckily.

It gave her time to think. Usually she painted in the hopes of not thinking. Her life hadn't been perfect or even remotely close to it for a while now. Last month it had gone from sham to hell, but she would much rather live in hell than with Ric Lansing.

She'd thought he was kind and gentle; a sweet guitar playing lawyer. Yes, he had a mean streak, but it was only for those who deserved it, she had told herself. He loved her, and he wasn't going to run from the relationship. Honestly, she'd thought he would be the perfect man for her.

Reality had set in the moment she had seen Carly Corinthos standing in a panic room that she hadn't known existed in her own home. It had actually set in pretty fast.

Her husband was a monster. She wasn't overreacting or being unforgiving. No one would have accused her of that. If anything they'd accuse her of stupidity. How many people had warned her? Her grandmother, her best friend, Lucky, Sonny, _Jason_…

Elizabeth felt her eyes tear up at the thought of him. _He_ was the reality she had missed. She'd let him run away and she'd run just as hard and fast. The moment she'd seen Carly, the full extent of her blind stupidity had hit her like a ton of bricks. Who was the girl who'd lived in that house with Ric? No one Elizabeth knew. Jason must have seen that, after all, he'd practically taught her how to be just herself.

Her eyes stung all the more as she remembered the look on his face when she'd pulled that gun on him and told him that he was the one being blind, that he was nothing more than Sonny's enforcer. How wrong could she have been?

Standing there, in the middle of her shift, she let herself be honest again. All she wanted was to have his friendship back. She wanted to be his friend. At the very least that was what she wanted. She knew that every time she thought about him, she was falling in love with him even faster.

"Elizabeth? Are you okay?" Elizabeth was startled out of her thoughts by the very star of them. Jason was standing in front of her looking concerned.

"I'm sorry. I can't believe I just zoned out like that." She said, slightly embarrassed. Her mind reminded her that he wouldn't care, wouldn't judge. It would take time to be as comfortable with him, and herself, as she had been years ago.

" I know the feeling." He answered, face expressionless when there once would have been a tight smile. "Are you here alone?" Jason asked, looking around.

"Oh, um, your fiancée called in sick." She said, trying her hardest to keep the snide tone in check. With Courtney, that was a tall order to fill, but she wouldn't unload her dislike for the blonde on him.

"Yeah, I know." Jason admitted, something off in his voice. Annoyance? "She told Carly that and Carly told her that she was taking advantage of Bobbie. She's in the car now. Pouting… I don't know. I don't really care." Jason said with a hint of a smile. This was the first time in weeks he had actually felt happy, or at least at ease. Going home to Courtney was becoming more and more difficult. Usually he worked late at the warehouse just to avoid her. He would come home each night after she had gone to bed. The books for the warehouse were in the best condition they had ever been in. He could tell that Sonny and Carly were worried, especially since Sonny had found him asleep at the warehouse a few days earlier.

He would rather sleep on the couch in Sonny's office than risk going back to his bed and starting an argument. The girl he lived with now wasn't the one that he had started to care about months ago. He wouldn't say it to Sonny or Courtney, but he wasn't even sure she was someone he liked. The car ride over, as short as it had been, had been torture. Courtney had complained about having to carry out her own commitments as if Jason was asking her to endure walking through fire. She acted as if she had no respect for anyone, something that grated on his nerves as much as the complaints did.

How was it that he could have been miserable five minutes ago in the car, and then felt better than he had in months after a few seconds talking with Elizabeth?

"Jason?" Elizabeth asked him.

His head snapped back to look at her. She was no longer behind the counter, but instead sitting next to him with a cup of hot chocolate and coffee for him. She smiled at him "Guess I'm not the only one who's getting lost in thought today."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to do that." He apologized, eyes sweeping the empty diner. It was nice, to be alone to talk to Elizabeth.

"I know. So, would you care to wait with me for Courtney? I think we have a good half an hour before the dinner rush. Then you can just carry her in here." Elizabeth said with a grin. Jason smiled back at her. She suddenly realized she wasn't living in hell. Not anymore. She was in paradise.

"Of course," He conceded with a nod, "I'm sorry she keeps calling in sick." Jason admitted. It sounded wrong to Elizabeth's ears, that he should apologize for Courtney's actions.

"You don't have to say sorry for her, Jason. It's not you're fault." Then, without knowing why she was saying it, she leaned forward, "Bobbie's ready to fire her." The other waitresses had been complaining. At first Bobbie had let is slide. Courtney was the first girlfriend that Carly'd had in a long time. With Courtney and Carly's relationship getting more strained, however, Bobbie's reluctance was wearing off more and more each day.

"I can't say I blame her. It's her place. Sonny or I would fire anyone like that who worked in the warehouse." Jason assured her. "Though, if she doesn't work even those few times a week, that means she'll be home." Jason mused aloud. He then saw the look on Elizabeth's face and realized what he'd said. He didn't try to explain it or take it back though.

Elizabeth knew she must have a stricken look on her face. She had been under the idea that Jason and Courtney were happy. It was one of the only things keeping her from going to him and telling him everything. "You and Courtney are… having problems?" she asked. Then she quickly added, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want."

Jason took a sip of his coffee and was slightly surprised to see that she had remembered that he liked it black. "No, I don't mind. She just… isn't the person I thought she was. Or Carly thought she was. I thought she could handle the buisness. she can't. She's clingy. She second guesses what I say to her. Everything I do seems to be wrong. I give her space, she accuses me of wanting to leave her. I stay close, she says I'm pressuring her. I tell her that maybe we should keep postponing the wedding, she breaks down in tears and says I don't love her anymore. I try to move the wedding up, she gets second thoughts. I touch her, she shys away." He sighed. "I can't figure out what do to."

Elizabeth felt her heart break for him. She knew first hand that he wasn't too good with relationships. This must be torture for him. "Carly can't help you?" she asked curiously.

Jason shook his head. "She does, and she doesn't know what to say anymore either. Courtney runs to them at day, to ask them to talk to me, or to help her. to complain." Jason stopped short, going silent.

"What?" Elizabeth asked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to dump this all on you." He answered.

Elizabeth smiled. "Friends help friends."

Jason smiled back at her. He leaned forward and hugged her, before he'd even thought it through. "I…I appreciate it." He told her quietly as he pulled away. She felt right in his arms, he realized, and then he firmly pushed that away. It wouldn't help anyone.

_--- Outside Kelly's_

Courtney had come armed with an excuse - working with Bitch Webber wasn't something she was going to do tonight. If she told Jason that they needed to talk, he would take her home. She knew that he wasn't as happy as he had been before, even though he said he loved her. He would try to fix things, if she asked, even though she had no intention talking out their problems tonight or any night. Why risk losing him?

She glanced through the windows, looking for Jason. Instead of being in the corner, nursing a coffee and waiting patiently for her, he was sitting at the counter with Elizabeth, talking. She felt her stomach clench at the sight of them sitting so close.

How dare Elizabeth make a move on him? She'd been the one to throw him away, and Courtney had fixed what Elizabeth had broken. For that self-important little painter to try to slide back in…

Jason hugged her. All the air left Courtney's lungs, her angry tirade from a moment before stopped short. It wasn't Elizabeth flirting, or at least not _just_ her.

She should have known. Jason _did_ want to leave her. She had been stupid to believe him when he said that he didn't. She had been amazing to him. She had gotten him away from Elizabeth and instead of being grateful and trying to change to make their relationship work, what was he doing? He was planning on leaving her for Elizabeth Webber.

She would make him regret it, she decided, nearly out of nowhere. The plan formed in her mind and she smiled.

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_Please, review!_


	2. Strengthening and Crumbling

**Blind to Love:** Strengthening and Crumbling

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_Hey everyone! Thanks for all of the great reviews for the last chapter! I am so glad you like it so far. Don't worry, things will get going soon._

_This is two weeks after the last chapter._

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_--- Elizabeth's Studio_

Jason sat on the couch reading a book about Argentina, and Elizabeth painted, oblivious to the little song she was singing under her breath. During the past two weeks Jason and Elizabeth had become friends again. It started out with talking at Kelly's for an hour before Bobbie had come to help Elizabeth. Courtney had never shown up, in fact, she had gone home in the car leaving Jason at Kelly's. Then he had bumped into her at the docks the next afternoon. They had talked for a while before parting ways again. It had taken only two conversations before they were both willing to admit that they'd been to quick to let go of their friendship.

Kelly's was their meeting place for the rest of the week. By the end of the week Jason had asked Elizabeth on a bike ride. Now they sought each other out. They didn't need to talk, sitting in the comfortable silence like this was enough for them.

When they did talk though, it was something that helped them both. Elizabeth had confided in Jason just as she had done years ago. It was as though they hadn't ever stopped being friends. She told him about Ric, her fear that she would never get out of Kelly's, her happiness over Emily's return, and her guilt for Carly.

Jason in turn had informed her of Courtney's doings. Elizabeth could see how much he was confused about Courtney's seemingly random personality shift. He wanted to help her, but he couldn't figure out how. Jason admitted that he and Carly were losing patience, especially because Sonny was getting caught in the middle.

Elizabeth began to let her guilt over Ric's actions towards Carly when he told her that Carly didn't blame her in the slightest for what Ric had done. Carly had watched everything, how good an actor he was. Jason had gently told her that she had nothing to feel guilty over, and somehow, Elizabeth believed him. Carly had even admitted that she respected Elizabeth more than Courtney at this point. Though, he was technically sworn under oath never to repeat that.

They didn't care about the past. There were too many other things that had happened to care who did what to who when anymore. It was no longer important. They had promised each other to leave it alone. To let it be exactly what it was, the past.

Jason set down his book quietly. He was smiling at Elizabeth, without her knowing it. She sang some song he had never heard of before, but he could tell that if the real singer of the song heard her, they'd be insulted. He waited until she reached what had to be the end. She quieted for a second before he started clapping.

Elizabeth turned around, embarrassment showing on her cheeks. "I didn't. Did I?" she asked, knowing the answer.

"You did." He said as he graced her with another small smile.

"Sorry! God, I hope I haven't traumatized you too much." She told him as she set her paintbrush down and walked to him. They hadn't talked yet today. He had just come to her door. "Please tell me you didn't sleep in the Warehouse again." She pleaded. He'd done it twice in the two weeks since they had started talking again.

"No, Johnny let me sleep at his place on the couch." He assured her.

"I wish you didn't have to do that." Elizabeth said quietly.

"I know, but I can't keep doing this with Courtney."

_--- Morgan Penthouse_

Courtney finalized her plans. She didn't feel even the slightest bit guilty for what she was planning. He deserved it. Part of her knew that when the drugs wore off, she'd hate herself, but they never did, she took the pills near constantly now. Just to avoid that guilt that was in the back of her mind.

Courtney opened her purse and fished out a few pills from the bottle. All she had left to do was call Jason and make sure that he would be where she wanted him. Then she would get in her car, and wait for him to come.

She picked up the phone and dialed his cell phone number.

"Morgan."

Courtney adopted her sweetest voice. What she didn't know was that it was also her whiniest. "Jason. I want to talk to you. I think we need to work things out."

Jason hesitated for a second, only serving to make Courtney angrier. "Yeah, I agree. Where do you want to talk?"

Satisfied with his answer Courtney started again. "I was thinking Kelly's. We could get a table outside and talk."

"Sounds good, I'll be there in ten minutes." Jason promised.

"Alright, baby, I'll see you then. I love you." She replied sweetly.

Jason stayed silent for a second. "I'll see you soon." And he disconnected.

Courtney stood there fuming for a second. He hadn't even said he loved her. Her resolve was only strengthened.

He would go to Kelly's, and she would run him down.

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_Poor Jason! I bet you can all start guessing what's going to happen. _

_Please review!_


	3. Show of Her Plan

**Blind to Love:** Show of Her Plan

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_Thanks for all of the reviews for last chapter. You are all awesome! _

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_--- Elizabeth's Studio_

Jason hit the end button of his phone and placed it back in his pocket. He looked over at Elizabeth, who was looking at him concerned. "Courtney called." He quietly answered her unspoken question. "She said we need to talk." This was what he'd been dreading, but he knew that it had to happen. They needed to figure this out. If the were going to stay together they needed to talk, but he wasn't so sure he wanted that anymore.

"You have to go?" Elizabeth asked him. Even as she asked it, she knew that he did. Even if had hadn't of promised Courtney he would meet her, she knew that they had reached some sort of breaking point in the relationship. For his sake, she hoped that they were going admit that things weren't working out.

"Yeah, she wants to meet at Kelly's." Jason told her as he got up and retrieved his coat, the book completely forgotten.

"Well, I'll come with you. I have a shift to go to anyway. Besides, I could use the walk." She said, hoping that her voice sounded light when she felt anything but. Courtney was making him miserable, and Elizabeth wasn't happy about her behavior either. He deserved better.

Jason nodded silently. He started to walk to the door as Elizabeth watched him. She could feel herself falling in love with him. She knew she loved him. One of two things were going to happen by the night's end. Jason and Courtney would either fix their relationship or they would break it off, thereby breaking part of Jason's heart. Neither option was looking good to her. Still she couldn't help but wish that they would throw in the towel…broken hearts can mend.

There was going to be at least one broken heart tonight. No matter what happened.

_--- Few Streets Away From Kelly's - Twenty Minutes Later_

For the most part they walked in silence. There was nothing to say, really. She was on her way to work. He was on his way to talk with Courtney. They knew what could be said tonight.

Jason and Elizabeth rounded the corner, neither noticing the black car in the alleyway ahead of them. The car that waited for them to get close enough.

Courtney sat in the driver's seat. She could see them walking towards the alley. She saw how close the two bodies were, as if they might have been holding hands. Jason was walking someone else to Kelly's. Courtney, involuntarily, revved the engine.

Jason stopped dead in his tracks. Elizabeth stopped right next to him. "Jason?" she asked almost hesitantly. She'd heard the car too, but wasn't sure why he was suddenly so tense. At least, she was hoping she wasn't sure. Jason put his hand to her stomach to signal for her to stay where she was. He started forward, to see what was ahead of them.

Courtney saw from her spot that Jason had started walking to her, alone. It only made things easier. She quickly pushed aside all guilt that might seep through. She waited, Jason needed to walk about ten more feet, and then she could make her move. He deserved this, she told herself in her head. She repeated it like a mantra of sorts.

He had hurt her… moved on… gone to Elizabeth Webber.

Jason was right in front of the alley. Courtney slammed on the gas, sending the car flying at him. No last chance to change her mind. This was it. He was going to be hit. He couldn't dodge it even if he tried. Jason turned around and stared straight at her for the split second before impact.

She heard the sickly slam of a body against metal and glass breaking. She heard Elizabeth scream his name. She heard him hit the car two other times.

She heard the tires squeal as she drove away, leaving him lying in the road. Then, there was nothing to hear but her heartbeat slamming against her chest.

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Elizabeth watched it all in slow motion. A black car came out of nowhere so suddenly and quickly there was no doubt who its target was. There was nowhere for Jason to go. He turned to look at it, and he tried to get out of the way but it smashed into him all the same.

"JASON!"

Jason hit the top of the hood and then got slammed into the windshield as the car kept going. The glass broke and flew everywhere. The force of the hit sent him flying up, instead of off to the side. He landed on top of it, with another body crushing hit. Elizabeth watched, horrified, as he then crashed on to the trunk of the car.

Everything speed up the second he hit the ground. He rolled on the ground for a second while the car sped away as if it hadn't just smashed into a person. Elizabeth stood there, praying that he would get up or move… anything to let her know that he was okay. Once his body stilled, he didn't move again.

From where she was, she couldn't tell if he was breathing. Suddenly, she felt herself flying towards him. She had to get to him. Her first thought wasn't to call an ambulance, but to just be near him. She hadn't ever run faster in her whole life. Once she got to him she dropped down next to him.

"Jason?"

He was on his side. His legs curled up slightly, as if he was trying to make himself into a ball. She could clearly see the cuts in his legs from glass. The leather of his jacket had saved the rest of him from getting scraped too badly. Suddenly she wished he had zipped it up, even though she knew it was too warm for that. His arm was laying at a strange angle. Elizabeth got up and stepped over him. She sat back down and tried to keep the tears from her eyes.

His head had been smashed against the top of the car. One side was completely covered in blood, even though he had just been hit. He had a cut on the side of this mouth and his cheek was cut and bruised, already. Her eyes traveled down his chest, to see the spectacular array of cuts and bruises that were showing through the shirt. His lower stomach had a gash running for about four inches. Elizabeth forced herself to look up away from the damage and at his face.

"Jason? Can you hear me? It's Elizabeth. Oh god, please Jason? Open your eyes. It's okay. Don't worry." She stopped to take her cell phone out of her pocket. "I know you hate hospitals, but you need one and that's all that matters, okay? It's alright. Don't worry, I won't leave you." Elizabeth spoke to him. Her fingers dialed the number she knew so well. 911.

"What is the nature of your emergency?" An operator spoke to her, calm as could be.

"My… _friend_, he got hit by a car. He's hurt really bad. He isn't awake. You need to send help." Elizabeth spoke in a rush. She was hoping her voice would convey the serious need for an ambulance, quickly.

"Alright, calm down. Where are you?" the woman asked her. Her voice was totally calm. Elizabeth couldn't seem to achieve that.

"We're in the alley behind the old Mason factory." Elizabeth said. She wasn't sure if the spot had an actual name but hopefully the woman would know where Elizabeth was talking about.

"Alright, I've sent an ambulance to your location. Try to wake your boyfriend up." The operator instructed.

"Alright, Thank you." Elizabeth said quickly as she hung up the phone, even though she could hear the operator saying, at the last second, to stay on the line. Elizabeth looked back down at Jason.

Now she had to wait

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_I always seem to do these things to him… poor Jason._

_Please, review!_


	4. News of a Loved One

**Blind to Love:** News of a Loved One

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_Thanks for all of the reviews for the last chapter! _

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_--- Hospital Waiting Room_

Elizabeth glanced at the clock for the millionth time since the ambulance had brought them to General Hospital. Jason had been with doctors for a little over three hours. Within minutes of being in the hospital she had been forced to leave Jason's side and about a half an hour after that Sonny, Carly and Johnny had rushed into the hospital. She'd tried to explain to them what happened, but she was still unsure herself.

Truthfully, she'd only been able to give the barest of facts: Jason was meeting Courtney and Elizabeth was going to work. They were walking, they cut through an alley. Jason heard something, told her to stay were she was. Then, when he walked up the alley a car came out of nowhere and hit him. Jason flew in the air and the car sped off. The car was black wasn't anything big like a SUV. That was all she was able to tell Sonny.

No one had been able to reach Courtney. Carly had tried Kelly's, the penthouse, Mike's place, Courtney's cell phone, along with Jason and Courtney's unused loft and every other possible location that she could think of but the blonde had simply vanished.

Finding her wasn't on Elizabeth's to do list, though. Right now the only finding she wanted to do was that of Jason's condition. He hadn't looked good in the ambulance. News of him had trickled in slowly for an hour but had completely ceased since then. He had a dislocated shoulder that had been re-set. There were numerous gashes and bruises that were cleaned, sewn up and bandaged to whatever extent needed. He had a serious head injury from hitting the ground and or car. The last amount of news was that there was very little internal bleeding from the impact. A short surgery would take care of whatever small amount there was. Bobbie had told them this as a good thing, saying that it could have been a whole lot worse. It still didn't make them feel better.

Elizabeth had been nervous when Bobbie had told her that Sonny was bringing Carly along. She had been expecting to be admitted as a patient also once Carly saw her sitting there. Either Carly was too worried to pick a fight or she had greatly matured over time. The woman was even being nice to her.

Jason would have been happily shocked.

Shutting that thought from her head, Elizabeth surveyed the people who had gathered. Johnny was making phone calls on his cell phone, in fact, he hadn't stopped since she'd gotten through her story. He was clearly trying to run the task of finding who hit Jason from the hospital waiting room, unwilling to leave Sonny and Carly vulnerable. Sonny was pacing restlessly around the room, brow furrowed in clear worry. Carly was playing with her hands in the chair opposite Elizabeth, trying very had not to look at the clock.

Alan had been coming and going for a while now. He was currently off somewhere else, calling the rest of the Quartermaines no doubt, but would be back to see if any news had arrived soon. Elizabeth vaguely wondered where Emily was and thought about if someone had called her. She was hoping that Alan or Bobbie had thought of it themselves, because that was one call she knew that she couldn't make.

_---_

Sonny knew that pacing wasn't going to get him anywhere, but he couldn't just sit still. He needed to do something and at the moment, there was nothing to do but wait. He had men out to find Courtney. Johnny was taking care of finding out who had done this to Jason.

So, he was left with pacing.

He and Carly had been at home when they'd gotten a call from Bobbie, who was on duty that night at the hospital. His mind had gone over a list of possible people she could have been calling about. Then Bobbie had said that it was Jason and Sonny had been thrown. Jason did not go to the hospital voluntarily. It took a lot to get him to step foot in one even when he was healthy. His heart had dropped to his stomach when he realized that Jason couldn't have been awake when he was brought in. Bobbie told him that Jason had been hit by a car and that his condition was critical.

Carly had somehow known that something had happened. She was right by his side asking him what was going on and nagging to know who was on the phone. Maybe it had been the horrified expression on his face that had tipped her off. Whatever it was she had snatched the phone from him when he didn't respond to her question quick enough.

Within minutes they were in the car and rushing to the hospital with Johnny as their driver.

Now they were here, three hours later, knowing only a bit more than what they had started out with.

Sonny's pacing stopped when he saw Emily Quartermaine running to them. Elizabeth looked up from her spot and stood up to hug the young Quartermaine. The two girls held on to each other for a second before Emily broke away to ask how Jason was. Her father had informed her of most of Jason's condition on the phone but in the time it took her to get there something new could have come in.

"Have you heard anything else?"

Elizabeth shook her head, tense. "Not in over two hours."

"God, what happened? Dad said that he got hit by a car." Emily asked. The two girls sat down and Sonny resumed his pacing.

"We were on our way to Kelly's and we cut through an alley. Jason heard someone… Dr Jones!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she saw the tired looking doctor walking towards them.

Everyone stood up and gathered around Tony. Elizabeth could tell that Carly wasn't pleased about the identity of Jason's doctor, but for now she held her mouth shut.

"How is Jason, Tony?" Emily asked. Truly, Elizabeth was glad that Emily, who didn't have much of a problem with Tony, past some residual anger from when he'd kidnapped Michael. Out of everyone in the room, Emily was the best choice for the group, if Tony was going to be Jason's doctor. Elizabeth knew that he would be quietly furious if he knew that Tony was the one helping him, but the man _was_ the best doctor for a patient with injuries like Jason's.

"Well, we stopped the internal bleeding. That surgery was a complete success." Tony said, clearly holding something back.

Carly let out a sigh of relief, but Sonny eyed the doctor warily. "And?"

"During surgery he slipped into a coma." Tony let out slowly. He knew that he was in the room with quite a few loose cannons. One of which was armed, one mobster and a woman who had shot him in a courtroom full of people. Not exactly the best of company.

Elizabeth slumped down in a chair.

The word rang in her ears.

_Coma_.

Jason was in a coma.

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_Reviews are love._


	5. Make Your Mind Swim

**Blind to Love:** Make Your Mind Swim

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_Hey everyone! Thanks for all of the reviews. You are all great._

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_--- Morgan Penthouse_

Courtney groaned. She felt like she weighed a ton and thinking was a chore. She blindly reached out for her purse. She smiled internally when her hand hit the fabric.

She reached inside and retrieved her pill bottle. After opening her eyes to see the cap of the bottle she looked around her. Why in hell was she on the floor of her kitchen? And why hadn't Jason moved her?

Courtney wracked her brain to try and figure out what she had done earlier, certain that there had to be some reason that she was laying on the kitchen floor instead of upstairs in her bed like she was supposed to be. The currently sober blonde stood up and rolled her head around for a second, trying to work out all of the kinks in her neck that had developed during her stay on the floor. Had Jason not gotten home yet and that was why he didn't move her? Though, he would normally have no reason to go in the kitchen, so he may very well have not seen her, but still, he should have looked when she didn't turn up for bed.

"Jason?" Courtney called as she pocketed the pill bottle, so he wouldn't see should he be home. She got no response as she made her way to the living room. "Jason, baby? You here?"

Clearly he was still working. She felt the age old bitterness rise up in her throat. Jason was _always_ working. She was second to all of his mob business.

Courtney tried to push back all of the anger. He had a lot to do and she needed to be there for him, she reminded herself. Still, being supportive was hard to do if he was never around.

The red blinking of their answering machine caught her attention. Courtney tiredly strode over to the desk and pressed the play messages button.

"Courtney? Are you there? It's Carly, something's happened." The message started, her sister-in-law's near frantic voice startled Courtney, "Jason was hit by a car. You need to get to the hospital right away. Damn, I was really hoping you'd be at the penthouse. Look, whenever you get this come to the hospital." There was a pause and a shuddering breath, as though Carly was trying not to cry, "Courtney, it's really bad."

Courtney felt her heart stop… Jason was hurt? She was high and passed out on the kitchen floor and Jason was in the hospital. Without even realizing it she opened the little prescription bottle and swallowed two pills. Right now she needed them.

Courtney ran back to the kitchen to get her keys. The second she grabbed them the memories started rolling through her mind. It was as though a person was playing a movie in her mind.

Jason had been with Elizabeth. That bastard was cheating on her! Courtney's jaw clenched, but the memories didn't stop. All the hatred for Elizabeth and even Jason came back at her full force.

She remembered the look on his face when he saw her in the car. He was shocked, but it was nothing close to how he looked the spilt second before the car smashed into him. Courtney felt the image burn a place in her memory.

She had hit Jason with her car.

This was her fault.

_--- Outside Jason's ICU Room_

Elizabeth braced herself before opening the door. She wasn't quite sure what to expect, but he had to look better than he had before. The nurses and doctors had cleaned all the blood from his body, so he wouldn't look so...

Elizabeth opened the door and walked in.

She was wrong. This was worse.

She had never seen him look as fragile as he did, stuck in that bed. There were more machines than Elizabeth was willing to count surrounding him. She drew in a calming breath and hoped her voice would come out steady.

"Hi, Jason." She whispered slowly. The words not as strong as she would have liked, but better than she thought she'd be capable of after seeing him. Tony had told her to talk to him, that hearing about everyday things would help him.

She cleared her throat to shake away the lump that had formed in it. "I hope you know that this is not allowed."

Why was it that every time they got close to each other, some force ripped them apart? Elizabeth couldn't help but think that there was someone upstairs that really hated them, because this was unfair. He shouldn't have been hurt so badly… not _again_. "You have to get well. You hear me Jason? This is not allowed."

Her demands and attempts at reprimands went unheard by him. If he did by some chance hear her, he didn't respond. Jason stayed laying still the same way he had before he had come in.

Elizabeth grasped his larger hand into her smaller one. His was limp as hers remained tightly gripping. "When you get well we aren't playing anymore of these games. I won't leave you again. I'll help you get well. But all of this won't matter if you aren't alive to do that."

She smiled at him gently, aware of the fact that his eyes were closed and unseeing. The steady beat of the heart monitor filled the room along with the silence. "You'll be okay. You have to be."

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_Hope you all enjoyed! __**Please, review!**_


	6. Could Kill You

**Blind to Love:** Could Kill You

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_Thanks for all of the reviews for last chapter! I know you're all bummed over lack of Liz and Jason lovin', but hopefully what happens in the next few chapters will put me back in your good graces._

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_**--- Morgan Penthouse**_

Courtney paced the length of the living room. She didn't know what to do. The cops would gleefully arrest the sister of Sonny Corinthos if they caught wind of what she did, but Sonny wouldn't let them do that, would he? There was no way. She was his sister. He would protect her no matter what she did.

Her confidence was bolstered. She would call Sonny, tell him what happened and why she did it and he would understand. Carly would stand by her too. They were practically sisters. And Jason...

Courtney stopped dead in her tracks. What would Jason do? Would he ever forgive her? It was the drugs that made her do it. She would have never hurt him if it hadn't been for her addiction.

He could understand that. It would take time, of course, but he would forgive her.

"Courtney! God, where have you been?" Carly Corinthos shouted as she raced through the door. Courtney hadn't even heard her come in.

"Carly! How is Jason?" Courtney asked once they broke away from a quick hug.

Carly gave her an odd look. "How did you know?"

Courtney realized that Carly thought she didn't know, since she was still in the penthouse and hadn't gone to see Jason. It did sound odd. But she could work around it. Or she could tell Carly the truth. "I just got your message. Um, I had to think."

The odd look only intensified as Carly tried to figure out what Courtney was talking about. Carly could tell by the look in the younger girl's eyes that something was wrong. More wrong than what Jason was now going through. If she ever found the one who hit Jason with the car she would kill them with her bare hands. Police and Sonny be damned.

"Carly. I am so sorry. I just want you to know how sorry I am." Courtney started. She needed to be sure that Carly knew that part.

"What's wrong?" Carly asked hesitantly.

"I was the one who ran down Jason."

Carly closed her eyes, trying to control the overwhelming amount of rage that came over her. "What?"

Courtney rushed on, trying to make it sound less horrible. "I've been taking painkillers. I didn't mean to get addicted, but with everything that's been going on. Well, they just help me cope. And sometimes they make it so I can't really think right. I saw Jason with Elizabeth and they were talking and they seemed so close. I couldn't help but get jealous. I just, snapped or something. He kept going to see her. And he stayed away from me more." She rambled on, trying to justify herself, "I was just so angry, Carly!"

Carly's eyes snapped open. "So you tried to kill him?" she screamed. Jason meant more to her than Courtney would ever. Jason had stood by her through everything. Her feelings for him defied words.

"No! Yes. I don't know." Courtney cried, shaking her head in obvious confusion. "I planned it all out. I called him, asking him to meet me to Kelly's. I knew that he hadn't taken his bike, so he would walk. He was at Elizabeth's studio, so I knew how he would come. I waited in the alley and he came up and I just..." Courtney trailed off. Carly knew what happened next. The angry blonde walked to the window and stared out.

Courtney could feel the anger rolling off Carly in waves. It was so powerful it was almost tangible. This was not how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to be forgiven and in time everything could go back to the way it was. "Carly?"

Carly's heart hardened even more at the whisper. She could tell that the girl didn't even know how horrible the crime she committed was. She didn't even have Carly's normal excuses for massive mistakes. Courtney did not mean well. There was no one Courtney was trying to protect. It was done purely out of anger and irrational fears. Carly was no stranger of those, but she'd never acted on it in this degree.

Courtney was delusional if she thought that she would be given a second chance.

"Carly?" Courtney said again, her voice breaking. She sounded like some little girl who wasn't getting her way. "Please. I'm so sorry. I just don't know what to do. I know you and Sonny will help me. I know that. And I know that you're mad, but I know you'll forgive me. And Jason will too. You could help me make him see. It could all go back to the way it was. We can be a family again." Courtney reasoned. Behind Carly's turned back Courtney was wringing her hands and crying even harder.

Carly couldn't believe the words that were coming out of Courtney's mouth. She could have sworn that the whole town knew about her protectiveness of Jason. Had Courtney not been taken aside and told? That had to be the only explanation.

This pathetic excuse for a human didn't even know that Carly would be making the rest of her life a living hell.

"No, we can't be a family again. You are not apart of this family. Not anymore." Carly said in an even tone that scared Courtney's very soul. This was not what she was expecting. Anger, maybe. Disbelief, of course. To be forgiven, absolutely.

"Carly..." Courtney started.

Carly was _not_ done yet. For the first time in her life Carly was filled with such calmness and hatred it frightened even her. No one hurt Jason.

"No. Be quiet." She commanded, cutting Courtney off, "I don't care if you're sorry. I don't care if you're addicted to drugs. I don't care if he was sleeping with every whore in the town. You are the one at fault here. _You_."

Courtney reeled back as though she'd been slapped. In a way she had, verbally and mentally. Carly laid no hand on her, but the words were enough to make Courtney see why most people in the town didn't try to cross the Corinthos family. "Carly please..."

Hadn't she made the "Be quiet." perfectly clear? Carly raised her voice to make sure that Courtney got it perfectly this time around, because there would be no third repeat before Carly would make sure that Courtney couldn't speak even if she tried. "I SAID BE QUIET!"

Courtney's mouth shut instantly. She was had never encountered this side of Carly before.

Carly's voice dropped back to its original tone as fast as she had raised it. "You did this for no reason Courtney. Jason and Elizabeth are friends. I know they are, because he doesn't lie to me. He doesn't lie to anyone. You could have asked him but you chose to try to kill him instead."

Carly shook her head, eyes narrowed and jaw hard. There was an aura of maturity around her that Courtney hadn't noticed before. This was one of Carly's finest hours. "You ran him down like the coward you are. You take drugs instead of trying to deal with Jason's world. Did we not make this clear to you?" Carly questioned. Her voice and eyes told Courtney that Carly wanted no answer. "Did we lead you on? Jason and Sonny told you time and time again that their world was hard to live in, that you couldn't handle it. I told you how hard it was to see them go out the door and know that they might never come back. I told you everything that you would have to deal with if you were to be with Jason. Did I not explain it well enough?"

Courtney shook her head, the reality sinking in slowly. _Carly would not forgive her._

Her surrogate sister was not done, far from it. "Sonny won't forgive you. I won't forgive you. And Jason won't ever speak with you again."

Courtney mouthed "no" in horror. They were her family. Sonny was her brother.

Under any other time Carly would have smirked and taken pleasure in Courtney's pain, but this was not any other time. Jason was in a coma because of her. He might not live through the night because of her. "What? You think Sonny will forgive this? Sonny is all about family. Jason is his family. You betrayed us."

The blue eyes that Carly had once complimented widened in fear.

"You will never see Jason again. As far as I'm concerned we'll tell him you're dead. To this family you are." Carly said, driving the final nail in the coffin for Courtney's deluded idea of how the situation would end. "Don't go crying to Sonny. He'll say the exact same things. And if by some warped reality he doesn't, I'll threaten to leave. I'll tell him that it's either the kids and I or you. Do you really think that he'll choose you?" Carly's hand instinctively moved to her swollen stomach.

Courtney closed her eyes, seeing her future crumble down around her was too much for her to deal with. She knew that Sonny would choose Carly, Michael and their new baby over her anytime. She stood no chance against that threat.

The drugs were telling her to fight, react, and make Carly shut up. "You can't do this. I'll tell Sonny all the things you said." Courtney tried as one last ditch effort, one that her heart knew would fail.

Carly's hand shot out. It grabbed one of the vases that Courtney had brought to Jason's minimalist penthouse. The stupidity of the interior design hit Carly suddenly and quickly. How did she ever think that Courtney was good for him? She knew nothing of Jason.

The vase was trapped in her vise like grip. Carly slammed the offending piece of furniture into the ground in front of Courtney. The shards of glass broke into a million small pieces at her feet. Courtney screamed and rushed back, afraid to be cut by the sharp edges.

"I SAID TO SHUT UP!"

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_Hope you enjoyed!_

_(particularly the part where Carly owned Courtney…)_


	7. Calling On You

**Blind to Love:** Calling On You

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_Thanks for all of the reviews on the last chapter, you're all awesome! _

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_**--- Jason's ICU Room**_

Sonny sat down quietly in the seat that Elizabeth had vacated only moments before. It had taken some convincing but he'd managed to get her to go for a walk with Emily. She would be keeping an all night vigil no doubt, so leaving for a few moments would be a missed opportunity. Between her and Sonny, Jason wouldn't be lonely during the night.

Sonny avoided looking at Jason as he sat next to the bed. He hated seeing the people he loved hurting. Even if Jason wasn't awake to feel the pain, it was still there.

No leads had turned up in regards to the car that had hit Jason, or more importantly, the car's driver. The mob bosses in town had all denied any involvement in the hit and run. Some had even been genuinely surprised by the turn of events. Others didn't seem to care. Johnny was still working on it, but the chances of finding something out tonight were slim.

There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Jason had been the intended target. Who had done it and why where the only questions remaining. He would kill them. No mercy for whoever it was that smashed into his best friend.

"Hey there, Jase." Sonny started, still not looking up at Jason. If Elizabeth had been strong enough to continue a running dialogue, so could he.

"I… ah, we've been looking for who did this." Sonny started before stopping. He wiped at his nose and cleared his throat.

Sonny started speaking again once he knew he could trust his voice not to betray how worried he was to Jason. "Johnny's been looking into it. He's got a bunch of guys on it. The only real suspect we've got is Alcazar. But this doesn't seem his style. Taggliotti is outta commission for a while, so it couldn't have been him. I don't think this is someone local, unless there's someone new on the scene that we don't know about."

Sonny broke off again. Business wasn't what he came to talk about. "I don't know what I'm supposed to talk about Jason. Dr Jones said everyday stuff. You and I talk business, and stuff about Carly and Courtney. I don't want to talk business. I'm too worried about Carly and Courtney. But don't you worry, Jason. We'll find Courtney. I promise you."

His eyes narrowed as he went over what he'd said. "Do you even want her here? I mean, you haven't been getting along. I know you don't love her Jason. I knew it all along. I've just been waiting for you guys to see that you aren't meant to be." Sonny shook his head. "Carly on the other hand...well, she's taking almost as long as you two are." A bittersweet laugh escaped his mouth. "And you know how much she hates to say she's wrong, e_specially_ when it comes to you."

Sonny broke off and flashed a smile up at Jason, forgetting his surroundings. His eyes settled on Jason's face and all the humor vanished from his expression. Jason had a bandage around his head, a cut in the corner of his mouth and a messed up cheek. That was what Tony had been talking about. It wouldn't scar, just look shitty for a few days.

"Oh God, Jason. You have to be alright, you hear me? You have to be alright."

_**--- Morgan Penthouse**_

Courtney watched Carly pace. It was almost like watching a judge sentence you. Would Carly tell Sonny? Would Carly tell Jason? What was going to happen to their family?

Courtney knew that Carly could spin a lie like any world class liar. She could twist the whole thing around. Make Courtney out to be the bad-guy in the situation. Would Sonny believe the lies Carly could tell him? Elizabeth Webber was mostly to blame in this and even Jason himself. Courtney knew that some of this was on her. She could admit that the drugs were her fault, but it was Jason's fault for not noticing her problem with the drugs and getting her help. If he had loved her enough to see that then none of this would have happened.

Courtney shook her head, she couldn't blame him now. Later, when he was better she could get mad at him for not seeing her problems. She couldn't do that now though, not when he was so hurt.

Carly seemed distracted. She could use that to her advantage. If Carly wasn't focused on yelling at her then maybe Courtney could reason with her. She had to try.

"Carly?"

Carly's head snapped up. "What do you want?"

Courtney winced at the sneering tone. "This is Elizabeth's fault. I mean, you know she's wanted Jason for years now. The drugs messed up my judgment, I know that. But she isn't blameless in this."

Carly looked shocked at Courtney's words, and for a brief second Courtney thought that her words had reached Carly and made her see that this wasn't all her fault. Then, Carly shattered her hopes.

"Yes, she is blameless! You, you sniveling little toad, are the only person who did something wrong in this situation. Elizabeth is Jason's friend. I know that because he told me so. Tell me, Courtney, would you have run me down if Jason hung out with me too much for your crackwhore's liking?" Carly screamed.

The stinging pain of the question ran through Courtney's soul. "Carly, I would never hurt you."

"But you hurt Jason!"

Courtney closed her eyes. This wasn't going the way she needed it to go. "I did. I know I did. I'm just telling you that this isn't my whole fault. Elizabeth was trying to steal Jason from me. I ne-"

"Was that how I sounded?" Carly marveled in an awed tone. Was that how she had acted for years when she lectured Sonny and mostly Jason on the dangers of Elizabeth Webber? Now that the situation was changed Carly was amazed that they had put up with her as long as they had. She was being blind and clingy.

Her sister in law looked confused. "What?"

Carly dismissed her question with a wave of the hand. It wasn't important. Finding out what to do with Courtney was. She needed to pay. Carly wouldn't let the bitch who had put Jason in an ICU room walk around as though she'd done nothing wrong. As far as Carly was concerned, death was too good for her. So what could happen that would be fair punishment?

"Carly, don't do this to me. Don't do this to our family. I know I was wrong, but so was Jason! I mean, he loves me. Why didn't he notice my problems before? If he had noticed and gotten me help then none of this would have happened!" Courtney said, her voice rising as her speech went on.

Carly stopped at stared at Courtney. The look in her eyes made Courtney regret voicing her opinion to Carly. She should have waited until Carly had calmed down more.

Whatever good feelings Carly had held onto for Courtney vanished. Had she just tried to blame Jason for this?

The idea hit Carly like a ton of bricks. Why not let everyone else deal with this little self-centered girl? She calmly strode over to the telephone. She could feel Courtney's eyes boring into her back. She dialed the number and waited patiently for the person on the other side of the line to answer.

"Hello?"

Carly smirked. She could feel Courtney's fear rolling towards her in waves and she loved every single second of it. "Hello, Detective Taggert? This is Carly Corinthos. We need to talk."

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_I hope you liked Carly's solution!_


	8. Interrogation of the Druggie

**Blind to Love:** Interrogation of the Druggie

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_Thanks for all of the great reviews. I'm glad you all liked the twist! _

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_**--- Port Charles Police Department**_

"You can't do this to me! I'm Sonny Corinthos' sister! Let me go!" Courtney screeched as she was being walked into the station.

Detective Taggert, Carly and the police officer unlucky enough to have to drag Courtney into the station rolled their eyes in comically perfect unison. Throwing around an alleged mobster's name in a room full of police officers wasn't exactly the smartest idea ever. Carly couldn't believe Courtney was acting the way she was. How many times had she been told not speak in a police station?

"Miss Matthews, please lower your voice. And stay here too, please." The police man asked politely as he sat Courtney down a chair next to Taggert's desk.

Courtney slammed her hand down on the desk and jumped up. "You can't do this!" she exclaimed again. It was as if she thought that her screaming it would make them all fall over themselves to apologize for their lack of judgment.

Taggert wasn't going to deal with her behavior, even if he wasn't in such a gleeful mood to have the sister of Sonny Corinthos in his custody for a valid reason – a valid reason given to him by Mrs. C herself. "Miss Matthews, may I tell you how relieved I am that if you did in fact end up murdering Jason Morgan with your car that there would be someone to carry on his anger boy legacy? Now, sit down." Taggert said as he handcuffed Courtney to the desk. "You know, it seems like just yesterday I was doing this to Anger Boy during his first time in a police station."

Carly's jaw tensed at Taggert's mention of Jason. "You think we could get on with this without the memory lane visits Detective?"

"Of course, Mrs. C."

Taggert finished handcuffing Courtney to the desk and turned back to Carly. "So, Mrs. C, would you like to go first?"

Carly smirked at Courtney. She would hand the PCPD their case against Courtney. "Yes, I'm ready."

_**--- Three Hours Later - Outside Jason's ICU Room**_

Johnny rushed through the doors towards Jason's room. Emily, Monica, Alan, Sonny and Elizabeth sat outside Jason's room as Tony examined him again. So far there had been no change in his condition.

Sonny stood up once he saw the expression on Johnny's face. "What's wrong?"

Elizabeth's head snapped up from its position in her hands. Did Johnny know something more about who hit Jason? "You know who did this, don't you?"

Johnny sent a quick glance Sonny's way. He wasn't sure if he should reveal the car's driver in front of everyone. After all, it was going to come as a shock to everyone involved.

"Is it business related?" Sonny asked, seeing Johnny's indecision. When his employee shook his head, Sonny encouraged, "Go ahead, John. Tell everyone what you know."

"Carly was actually the one to find out." Johnny started. He could tell that a lot of them now had some sort of comment to make but Johnny held up his hand to stop them all. There'd be enough of an uproar at the end without them starting up now. "Courtney confessed to her."

This time, Johnny's hand couldn't stop the onslaught of questions.

"Courtney?" Sonny said in shock, his mind not comprehending how his own sister could run her boyfriend, his best friend, down and speed away as if nothing had happened. The only question that answered was about why she wasn't at the hospital with him.

"Why the hell would she run down my brother?" Emily practically yelled, her hands shaking in anger. Johnny's heart went out to her - he knew how devoted she was to Jason.

"Courtney? Why would she want to hurt Jason?" Alan asked of Johnny. Monica was too shocked to say much of anything. She knew Courtney better than she would have if she'd of only been Jason's girlfriend. When AJ had introduced his new wife, Monica had found her to be quiet and mild-mannered. That image did not at all match up with this new piece of information.

Elizabeth didn't shout like everyone else had, instead she sank back down into her chair and whispered to Johnny in a voice that sounded so heartbroken they all turned to her as if she had shouted, "Courtney did this because of me, didn't she? This is my fault."

Emily marched over to Elizabeth and grabbed her shoulders. "No! This is not your fault. This is that blonde bitch's fault. And don't think otherwise."

Johnny tried to stifle a laugh. Emily was one of a kind. Sonny was still too shocked to notice the insult hurled his sister's direction. "Courtney's been on drugs for a few months now. I guess once she saw Jason and Elizabeth were friends again she convinced herself that Jason was trying to leave her."

Her best friend's words had strengthened her slightly, but that snapped Elizabeth's attention right back where it should be. "He wasn't! He was trying to stay with her and not have to leave her. Never mind the fact that he was miserable!"

Emily slipped her arm around Elizabeth in silent support. Monica sat down slowly into the nearest chair. Sonny, however, remained with is feet firmly planted in their original spot as if moving would acknowledge the life-changing news that he had just received.

"We all know that Elizabeth," Johnny said gently. "But Courtney didn't. She didn't even think to ask him about it. She just went for revenge. She arranged the whole thing. She knew he was with you, and that he had walked to your place. So when she called him to meet her at Kelly's she knew exactly which way he would take to get here and that he would be on foot. When he stepped out into her line of sight, she ran him down the second he stopped in front of her car."

Sonny shook his head and closed his eyes. His sister could have very well murdered Jason, the closest thing he had to a brother. "Where is Courtney now? Which one of the safe-houses?"

Johnny looked at his feet for only a second, but it was enough for Sonny. "God, what did Carly do?" He asked with a tone that let Johnny know that he was actually worried.

"Killed her, I hope." Emily whispered loud enough for only Elizabeth to hear.

Johnny sighed, better now than finding out through the media. "Carly called the cops."

Sonny's eyes widened at Courtney's new predicament. "She what?"

Emily smirked. Clearly she enjoyed Carly's idea of justice. "It's perfect. She tries to take Jason's life with a car, Carly lets the justice system take Courtney's life with prison. She's not good enough for dying."

Elizabeth couldn't help but like the idea. Courtney couldn't have guessed that Carly would pull something like that. It was _unexpected_ for a mobster's wife to call the cops.

"How much do the police have?" Sonny asked.

"They have the car, with Jason's blood smearing some of it. They have Carly's testimony. Courtney has no alibi and they found drugs in her purse. After a drug test to confirm they'll see that Courtney was taking drugs at the time." Johnny ticked off the things that Courtney had against her, momentarily disgusted that someone could have done such a useless job of covering their tracks. "At the very least she'll be on probation and have to do drug counseling. At the most she'll face time with attempted murder, reckless endangerment for driving high, possession of drugs and driving while under the influence as charges."

Monica finally asked her question. "How long could she be in jail for this?"

Johnny couldn't help but match Emily's smirk once she caught his eye. "Fifteen to twenty years max."

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_Please be kind about any of the legal stuff for this chapter. Essentially – I'm guessing. _

_Sorry about the lack of Liason, though I hope that Courtney being read her rights was a good consolation prize for everyone!_


	9. Carly to Jason

**Blind to Love: **Carly to Jason

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_Thank you all, a million times over, for the reviews last chapter! _

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_**--- Jason's ICU Room**_

It had taken a lot to get Elizabeth to leave. In the end Emily had to cave and say that they would stay in the hospital as long Elizabeth left Jason's room. That probably wouldn't have been enough had it not been for Carly telling Elizabeth that she needed to talk to Jason… _alone_.

Elizabeth had understood the unvoiced implication and left them for a while. It had been twenty minutes ago and Carly still hadn't said anything. She just absently played with Jason's hand. Her thoughts ruled her mind at the moment. It felt like Jason had just gotten home and she was still excited over being able to see him and talk to him whenever she wanted, as often as she wanted.

Carly sighed as she stood up. Hadn't she come there to talk?

"Why are you doing this, Jason? God, why did any of us do any of this to you?" Carly mused aloud. She had no idea where her ramblings would take her. "I pushed you two together. Does that make this all my fault? Is it Mike's fault for having Courtney? How far back do you need to go to find who is to blame?"

Carly sat back down next to Jason. "I want someone to blame." She whispered.

The steady rhythm of the heart monitor filled the room. She was the only moving occupant. Other than the slow rise and fall of Jason's chest to signify his breathing there was no other movement. The hospital wasn't her favorite place and it sure as hell wasn't Jason's either. She knew why, he said the walls closed in on him and that he felt trapped.

She felt death. All over the hospital there was that feeling of serene agony. People grieving filled the halls. She didn't want to be one of them. "I know it was Courtney."

This is where he was supposed to tell her to just leave it alone, that his love life was none of her concern. She'd push him to tell her what he knew. He'd push her back, telling her to be quiet.

She would if he would open his eyes.

"She told me. I took care of it, Jason. Don't worry."

Carly picked his hand back up and held it in both of hers. She slowly raised it up to her face and brushed her cheek against the back of his hand. "I'll always take care of you. You know that, right?"

She kissed the back of his hand and closed her eyes. "You and me, Jason. We're forever. Other people come and go. Robin. Tony. AJ. Brenda. They've all been with us at some point, but they all left. People always leave us behind, but you and I will always be next to each other."

A smile flickered across her face and calm certainty filled her voice. "Elizabeth and Sonny could be gone tomorrow, but it will still be you and me. You're my best friend and that won't ever change. I'll protect you to my death, and you'd do the same." Then, her voice broke, "Who else stays around to catch me when crash and burn?"

Jason made no movement, sound or anything to respond to her or her half-sobs. It didn't make her words any less true. They were the same thing he had told her years before. _If I loved you the way you want, you would wreck me. And then who'd pull you out when you crash and burn?_

"I remember the first time I saw you. I had to have you. You looked like you knew everything about everyone. No one could mess with you, and everyone else knew it. You were exactly what I wanted. I just didn't realize that you were what I needed too." Carly reminisced.

She looked down at their joined hands. "We weren't the most grown up, little more impulsive then. I don't know about you, but sometimes I wish I could go back to that. Things weren't so complicated. We didn't have as many enemies. Not half as many bad memories."

Carly felt the tears run down her face. She wouldn't let go of Jason's hand to wipe them away. Jason had seen her cry. It didn't matter if he saw it again? "When did we grow up? When did I start trusting people, trusting myself? When did you start allowing more emotion to come to you? Allowing others to get close, easier? I don't know Jason. God, I don't know. Is it better this way?"

She knew it her heart it was. That growing up was something that had to be done. She and Jason had taken their sweet time, though. "You did that for me. I saw that there was one person that I couldn't push away. No matter how much I wanted to. No matter how bad I was. And that was good for me." Carly smiled. He had always been good for her.

"You're my conscience. My strength. You're the person I run to when I mess up, or things just get too complicated. I can't lose that Jason. I can't lose _you_." Carly lost all control that she had. The tears came full force, spilling down her cheeks and onto their hands. Her shoulders heaved and for the first time since the news she let herself cry. She would be strong later. Right now, in the comfort of Jason's presence she could let it all go.

What she wouldn't give to go back for one night - to shoot a game of pool with Jason at Jakes? The stakes could be the same. Twenty dollars if he won, a dance if she won and quarter to get in the game. He'd complain if by some miracle she did beat him. He hated dancing. After, they'd head up to his room for pizza and beer. The last time they had done that was so long ago. Before Sonny and his health food lectures and definitely before there were kids to care for and business meetings to attend.

Carly leaned forward. She moved closer to him until their noses touched. She rubbed them together like she did such a long time ago. "I love you Jason. _Come back_."


	10. Sisters

**Blind to Love:** Sisters

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_Thank you to all of the readers!_

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_**--- Courtney's Jail Cell**_

Sonny followed the guard though the concrete hallway, without saying a word. He'd been down the hallway many times himself, usually as a prisoner or to visit Jason. He hadn't ever really envisioned the day he would be going down it to see his baby sister.

His mind was still in a haze. The turn of events rocked both he and his family to the core and he wasn't sure how to fix it. All of his usual courses of action were lost to him.

Despite what he knew Carly, Emily, Elizabeth and Johnny wanted, he couldn't bring himself to kill his sister. Had it been one of his enemies, he could have done it, no problem. He could give the order or pull the trigger. He had many times, and he would again. With the truth of what Courtney had done, the realization that she was the one that he would be making that order against, he couldn't make himself say the words. He knew the men had been waiting for it. They'd been told to be ready, but with the turn of events that had come to light, they were just as at a loss as him.

When situations were this hard to make sense of he went to Jason. His friend could look at any situation and see it with a clear head, free of vendettas, personal attachments or any need for retaliation. Jason would have been able to see the situation and know how exactly it needed to be fixed. Unfortunately he didn't have the luxury of Jason's perspective at the moment.

The guard in front of him stopped suddenly and Sonny had to screech to a halt. The man didn't seem to notice, for which Sonny was thankful. The officer unlocked the door and led him into the holding area. For a brief moment, Sonny entertained the notion that he could just change his mind and march back up to the hospital – or the nearest bar for a scotch to calm his nerves – but in the end his need to see the consequences of her betrayal through won out.

With a short nod, the guard walked out of the room. Sonny knew he only had about five minutes, which was fine by him.

He scanned Courtney's jail cell and pushed away the thought that it was fitting for her. Courtney herself was curled up on the lower bunk, oblivious to the pain she had caused them all. Mentally in most cases, but physically in Jason's.

Taking a second to gather his thoughts and resolve, Sonny then knocked on the bars forcefully. He didn't care when she jumped up at the loud noise he caused in the quiet, gray prison.

"Courtney." He hoped the one word conveyed how betrayed and angry he felt, but it would take a million renditions of her name just to scratch the surface.

Courtney whipped around with more energy then he'd ever had after spending time in the PCPD. A huge smile lit her tanned face and she raced over to him.

"Sonny! I knew you would come! I told Carly she was wrong, that you wouldn't abandon me, but she didn't listen." She ignored the shocked look on Sonny's face and rambled on. "Did you pay the bail? Are we going home?"

Clearly Courtney was a good actress, because he couldn't remember her being that stupid the week before. "No, I didn't pay the bail."

Her brow furrowed and she appeared confused. "Haven't they set it yet?"

With a harsh sigh, Sonny realized that this wasn't going to be an easy task. He had a hard time keeping a lid on his temper under the best of circumstances and this was not one of them. "They set it, I'm not paying it."

"Why?"

Sonny wanted to bang her head against the metal bars. How could she be so self centered? "Why? Because you may have killed my best friend! Your boyfriend, remember him....Jason? I've been here a few minutes already and all you're concerned about is if you're getting out of here. You haven't even asked if he's alive!" He hadn't meant to scream but his voice had risen the moment the words were out of his mouth. Courtney stood in front of him with her mouth gapping open. She looked as shocked as she probably would have if he'd hit her.

"How… how is he?" Courtney asked in a small voice. He'd knocked her enthusiasm down a few pegs and he felt pride in doing it.

Shaking his head, Sonny took a step back from the cell. "In a coma."

"I'm so sorry Sonny! I was so angry with him. I saw him with Elizabeth and all I could think was that he was cheating on me with her." Courtney started, but Sonny held up his hand.

"No, I don't want to hear it. This is your fault. Not Elizabeth and sure as hell not Jason's. You're here because of you."

Courtney shook her head, but at the moment, Sonny knew that her voice would only serve to make him angrier than he already was. He didn't want to risk getting thrown into a jail cell right next to hers because he'd lost control. "No, Courtney. Just stop. I can't do this with you. I'll pay for a lawyer, but other than that I'm not helping you."

Courtney looked like she was going to cry, but Sonny was relieved to realize that he didn't even care. She had put his brother into a coma, and for that alone she needed to pay. He wouldn't kill her, but he wouldn't help her anymore either. If she was smart she would leave town after her trial.

Without another word, Sonny turned on his heel and marched out of the room.

_**--- Jason's Room**_

Emily held her brother's hand tightly. She didn't want to see him as injured as he was, but there was no way she was leaving him either. Elizabeth sat at the foot of the bed, letting Emily sit in the seat nearer to him.

Both women took in his battered appearance with sad eyes.

"I should have convinced him that she was not the girl for him." Emily spoke sadly and full of guilt. Her brother deserved the best woman that the world had to offer and he had found her, but was too blind to see that it was Elizabeth and not Courtney. If everyone around him had seen how awful the bimbo-like blonde was earlier, Jason might not have been laid up in a hospital bed.

Behind her, Elizabeth laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault."

Sighing, Emily nodded her head, "I know, but that doesn't make any of this easier."

Elizabeth herself knew exactly how that felt. She kept switching blame between herself and Courtney. Hoping she could take her friend's mind off that, Elizabeth changed the subject. "Where's Sonny and Carly?"

"Carly went home to tell Michael all of the news. And Sonny is visiting...._her_" Emily said the word "her" with undisguised hatred and disgust. If there was one thing that Elizabeth had picked up about the members of the Quartermaine family, it was that they could tear each other to shreds, but the moment someone outside of the family hurt one of their own it was all out war.

Nodding to signify she'd heard, though she didn't take her eyes off of Jason, Elizabeth continued with the question that had been nagging at her. "What do you think Sonny will do?"

"I don't know." Emily paused to consider the question. "He'll either help her and get her out of this, or he'll completely cut her off."

Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth sarcastically shot back, "Thanks for clearing that up."

Taking her gaze from Jason, Emily sent Elizabeth an annoyed glare. "I wasn't done yet. Personally, I think he'll cut her off. Have you ever noticed how protective Sonny is of Jason? It's as though Sonny knows that if Jason gets hurt, ninety-nine percent of the time it's because Sonny sent him out or it was an enemy of Sonny's. The man lives to be guilty, one way or another."

"This time it's not Sonny's fault, though." Elizabeth pointed out. Still, Emily had a point. Sonny Corinthos was a man driven by pride and guilt. He'd helped Jason become the man he was meant to be, which meant there was a close relationship between them, but he'd still brought Jason into a life that would ultimately become the reason he died, whether it was in one year or fifty years. If she put those two facts together, Elizabeth knew exactly why Sonny took things so hard when Jason was injured.

Emily moved her head to the side as if to agree. "Yes, but she's Sonny's sister and her drug habit happened under his nose."

"It happened under all our noses." Elizabeth's voice was so quiet that Emily almost didn't catch it. She sounded sad and full of fear. Everyone could relate to that, they were all afraid for Jason.

Still, Emily had to know for sure if Elizabeth blamed herself for what had happened. "You don't blame yourself, do you?"

Sighing, Elizabeth shook her head. "No, but I can't take him being hurt Emily. It's like, I just found him again. We're finally good with each other, friends again, and now...."

Emily knew why she'd let her voice trail off. The words were too painful to voice.

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_I hope Sonny's decision about Courtney sits well with everyone! _

_Please, review!_


	11. Seeing the Truth

**Blind to Love:** Seeing the Truth

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_Hey guys! Thanks for all of the reviews for last chapter._

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_**--- General Hospital**_

Courtney felt herself shaking. Her whole life was falling down around her, but she did have the chance to make it right. She would try as hard as she could to make it up to him.

Sonny's words from the jail rang over and over again in her ears. Jason was in a coma. Courtney put the man she loved in a coma. Every time her eyes closed she could see his face. That look of shock and something else that she couldn't identify that stamped his face as she ran him down.

They only locked eyes for a second before her car smashed into him. She knew he felt betrayed. She would have felt the same thing, anyone would have. In a way, she had betrayed him, but her actions were partly justifiable. She thought he was cheating on her. Maybe her actions were drastic, but they weren't without reason.

The elevator doors slid apart, and she rushed out. Her eyes passed over a young couple, both crying. They looked happy and Courtney felt her heart squeeze at the sight of them. The nurse came and placed a baby into the woman's arms.

That should have been her and Jason. They should be in the hospital having their first child, not the way they were. He shouldn't have befriended Elizabeth Webber, she shouldn't have run him over with a car.

With the sight of the new budding family still in her face, Courtney rushed towards ICU with a new resolve in her. She would sit by Jason day and night until he woke up and saw how good they were for each other.

She passed an old man and woman, smiling to herself. That would be her and Jason years and years down the road.

She stopped dead in her tracks and stopped smiling the instant when she read the little plaque on the wall next to the door. Jason Morgan's room. The confidant feeling she had only seconds ago slipped away from her. It was as though she was walking into the courtroom for her sentencing.

Slowly and quietly, she pushed open the door. The nurse in the room smiled at her and walked past. The woman closed the door quietly, leaving the two of them alone.

Her eyes passed over him, he looked worse than she thought he would.

The tears rushed to her face faster than she had the chance to wipe them away. She did that to him, her and her insecurities. Jason loved her, but he loved Elizabeth too.

She knew that. She wasn't a fool. She knew of the history between them. Jason loved Elizabeth Webber, and had for years. At the same time, he loved Courtney, but she had something that Elizabeth Webber didn't. She had his promise to be with her. Elizabeth, once again, had the friendship and the wish for more. Courtney had him, and she would do anything to keep him.

Spotting the chair next to the bed, she quietly slipped into it. Right next to him, in her rightful place - a place that Elizabeth would no longer occupy. It was Courtney's turn now.

Their hands touched as she locked hers into his. He would be okay, she would get him better. When he recovered, or knowing Jason even before he'd recovered, he would help her get out of the mess Carly had made with the cops. He loved her, and she loved him more than anything. He would see that they were the ones for each other, and he wouldn't need Elizabeth anymore.

"Jason? Baby, it's Courtney." Her voice tentatively spoke. She wished her voice wasn't as shaky as it came out. Hoping to put more strength in her voice, she cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm so sorry Jason, but I know you'll understand. Please, Jason, please wake up."

Nothing happened and no movement came to his face. A wave of sadness ripped through her and Courtney closed her eyes. Her head bowed down.

Beside her, Jason moaned.

Courtney didn't open her eyes. It wasn't real. He wasn't awake, there was no way. She felt the bed shift as he moved around and made another noise. She could barely hope to open her eyes and see him awake.

Finally, she worked up the courage and her eyes opened and she saw the frown on his previously expressionless face. Her whole face lit up. He _was_ waking up. "Jason! Oh god, I was so worried. Open your eyes, I'm right here."

His eyes opened slowly. Courtney felt her eyes tear up all over again. "Jason!"

"Courtney? What? Where..." He whispered. There was confusion in his voice, which was understandable.

She laughed and held his hand tighter. "You're in the hospital, I'm so sorry Jason. Please, you have to..."

"I can't! What happened? What are you talking about? Oh god...." Jason spoke, horrified look on his face.

The door opened and Elizabeth walked inside. The cup of coffee she held in her hand dropped. "Jason!" She too rushed to his side. "Courtney, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see Jason! What are you doing here?" Courtney questioned, even though she knew why Elizabeth was there. Still, she wanted the other girl to feel out of place and leave, so she tried to sound as if she couldn't come up with one reason why Elizabeth should be in Jason's hospital room.

Elizabeth started to talk again, but Jason's voice killed the conversation, and broke both of their hearts.

"Elizabeth? I can't... I can't see you. I can't see… _Elizabeth_?"

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_Welcome to the story BLIND to Love. Like my hint? It's been there all along. Please tell me what you think and don't be too angry. How many of you figured it out before this chapter? Did anyone? _

_(I'm braced for angry Jason-lovers too, so fire at will!)_


	12. Unseeing Eyes

**Blind to Love:** Unseeing Eyes

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_Wow, I'm surprised that I snowed pretty much all of you with the blindness thing! Thanks for all of the reviews._

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_**--- Jason's Hospital Room**_

_"Elizabeth. I can't… I can't see you. I can't see. Elizabeth?"  
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Jason's words broke Elizabeth's heart right down the middle. His terror-filled voice was something so foreign and strange she didn't even know how to comfort him. Courtney appeared to be at just as a loss as her.

After only a few seconds, her brain managed to kick in and she quickly directed an order to the blonde. "Call a doctor!" Courtney appeared to forget what words were for a second, before the message got through to her and she rushed to the door, screaming for help.

Elizabeth sat down next to Jason and tried to calm him. "Jason? It's Elizabeth. It's alright."

Words were empty and worthless and she didn't know if it was all right. Jason knew that too. He didn't say anything, but his blue eyes stared straight ahead and didn't seem focused on anything in the room.

"I can't see." He said again to her, as if she needed to hear those words again, but she understood that he was probably in more shock about it then she or Courtney had been. The heart monitor beeped rapidly, showing how badly his heart was racing. She wished she could do something real for him.

Through his darkness, Jason's hand managed to slide its way into hers. He gripped at her hand with everything in him, as though she were his lifeline in the middle of a sea. Elizabeth felt a tear run down her cheek as she kept whispering what she hoped were soothing words to him. That she was there and it was all going to be okay.

Neither of them really paid much attention to Courtney's continual screaming. Finally, after what felt like forever and a year but was really was only a few minutes, Tony Jones rushed through the door.

"What's going on? Oh, I see the patient is awake." He tried to say cheerfully. Jason didn't like him, and he didn't like Jason. He had long since managed to become civil, and at the moment Jason was his patient, which meant Tony was nice to him.

When neither Elizabeth nor Jason answered him, he took in their faces. Jason stared off into space with more expression on his face then normal people had in a lifetime. He looked horrified, confused and to Tony's shock, afraid. Elizabeth was crying and whispering words that Tony couldn't make out. "Jason? Can you answer me?"

Tony sat down onto the side of the bed. His suspicions crashed into him as he looked at the Jason's wide, unfocused eyes. He took the penlight out of his pocket, lit it, and waved it in front of Jason's eyes.

There was no reaction.

"Jason? I need you to speak with me. Can you see anything?" Tony asked in what he hoped was his most soothing voice. Even Jason Morgan could feel fear, however infrequent it was, and waking up from a coma blind was enough to scare anyone.

"I can't." Jason quietly answered. His voice displayed as much emotion as his face did. Even though Tony did not like Jason and considered him to be a cold killer, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

Though he knew that no one in the room would appreciate what he needed to ask, he did all the same, "Elizabeth, I need to examine Jason. Can you wait outside please?"

Judging from the look he got from Elizabeth, she now regarded him as either cruel, stupid, or insane, but Jason needed to be looked at, and he couldn't do that with a protective friend there. "Elizabeth, Jason needs medical attention, I can't do that with you here. I'll have a nurse come find you as soon as we're done here."

She knew that his tone left no room for argument, but she didn't like it anyway. She gently leaned into Jason and kissed his forehead. "I'll be right back. Don't worry. It's going to be alright."

Her hand slipped out of his and once he felt her leave the bed he gripped the sheet were her hand had been. Courtney had already left the room, unable to see how much Jason was depending on Elizabeth. The brunette backed out of the room before taking the final step. Bobbie rushed down the hallway and only needed one look from Elizabeth before she rushed inside, for which Elizabeth was grateful. Not only was Bobbie good with calming people, Jason trusted her.

The door closed behind Bobbie and Elizabeth stared at the door for a second. Behind her she could hear Courtney's pathetic sniffling. "Why are you crying? You did that to him!" Elizabeth yelled as she rounded on Courtney.

Not even Courtney was stupid enough to try to reason with Elizabeth. She wisely kept her mouth shut and tried to halt her tears. Elizabeth was about to charge her when Sonny and Carly rushed down the hallway.

"What the hell are you doing within fifty feet of Jason?" Carly yelled. Courtney immediately remembered their fight and how Carly had betrayed her to the police.

Sonny ignored his sister but focused on Elizabeth. He could see the look on her face and the tear tracks from her eyes. "Oh god… _Jason_..."

He let his question fade off, unable to voice the full sentence. Elizabeth turned to him. "He's awake." She saw Sonny and Carly both relax at the reassurance that Jason hadn't died while they were away.

"Then what are we all doing out here? I want to see him, come on Sonny." Carly directed as her face lit up in happiness. Then she realized that all wasn't well. They'd been waiting for days and now he was awake, but if everything was fine then why was Elizabeth standing outside? The girl had been by Jason's side since he was hit. "What?"

Carly's eyes darted between Courtney and Elizabeth, neither of which was speaking up quickly enough for her. "What? Is he all right? Elizabeth, what in hell is going on?"

Elizabeth picked up on the fear under the anger in Carly's voice. "He... he, um…"

As Carly's grip on his arm tightened, Sonny's chest got tighter and tighter too. "Elizabeth, what is it?"

"He's blind."

_**--- Twenty Minutes Later**_

Carly sat still in the chair. Her mind was still spinning from Elizabeth's two words. The idea that her best friend could be blind forever seemed so incomprehensible that Carly didn't even know what to think. In front of her Sonny paced and Courtney cried. The girl's silent tears didn't let on that she was crying, it was the shaking of her shoulders that gave her away.

Sonny and Carly had let her sit there without a word.

The hatred for Courtney stewed in Carly more than she ever thought possible. Jason was suffering because of her. Beside her, Elizabeth suddenly got up and walked away. For a second Carly contemplated going with her, but when she saw Emily Quartermaine rushing down the hallway, she saw that it wasn't something she should intrude upon.

Elizabeth wished in that moment that someone else could tell Emily what had happened, but she knew that it was the right thing to do. Emily stopped in front of her and took only one look at Elizabeth's eyes.

"Something's happened, hasn't it?" Her face fell with each word as she realized that Elizabeth didn't even need to answer her question.

Elizabeth took a deep breath, "Jason's awake." Emily's face brightened and she let out a relieved sigh, but Elizabeth crashed her happiness down around her. "He's blind, Emily."

She watched on sadly as Emily's whole world appeared to crash down around her. Jason was Emily's idol. She always looked up to him and he adored her. The thought of something happening to him scared Emily more than anyone even realized. "No."

"I went in and… Courtney was there. Jason was awake, but he wasn't even looking at us. I was yelling at Courtney and he just said it. That he couldn't see me." Elizabeth told her. The memories of the room were still fresh in her mind. She was sure that there wouldn't be a day where she didn't hear his frightened voice telling her that he couldn't see.

Emily sank down into the nearest chair and closed her eyes. Elizabeth kneeled in front of her, hoping to be comforting. At the moment, there was nothing she could do for Jason, but she could help Emily. "We don't know anything yet, he's with Tony."

Her voice wasn't convincing and Emily knew it. She knew that Elizabeth's words were just as much for herself. They were both scared, just not half as afraid as Jason had to have been feeling.

"How long has Tony been in with him?" Emily asked. She attempted to push down the tears from her eyes.

Elizabeth sighed, "About twenty minutes." Her eyes shot back to Emily and her sad expression "Em..."

Cutting her off, Emily held her hand up. "Please, Elizabeth. I just, I need some time to think? Okay?" Elizabeth nodded, understanding perfectly. "I'll be back in a while, but if Tony comes out before I get back, I'll be on the roof."

The two hugged each other tightly for a minute or so, before Emily squeezed Elizabeth's hand and walked off.

Emily's mind was in such a haze, she didn't even pay attention to where her feet were taking her. When was Jason going to be given a break? He'd been through so much since that day in the hospital when he woke up to Robin Scorpio's plea. The brain damage, the Quartermaines, the mob, Sonny, Carly, the first shooting, Michael, the betrayal of Sonny and Carly, that night in the snow, losing Michael and Carly, his relationship with Elizabeth, leaving town, numerous return trips… and now his girlfriend had run him down with a car causing a coma and blindness.

When would her brother be allowed happiness? Plain and simple, with no threats looming overhead, happiness. Emily reached the roof and opened the door. Her tears were blinding her, but she still noticed the man standing outside already. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'll leave you alone." Emily offered as she backed out.

"Emily, it's Johnny. You don't have to go." Johnny called her back and Emily blinked away her tears long enough to confirm who the man in front of her was.

She sniffed, trying to wipe away the tears so Johnny wouldn't see them, "Oh. If you're busy you don't need to let me stay. I understand."

"I just made some calls up here because most people don't come up, but I was just thinking when you came in." He explained.

Emily nodded. She quickly turned to look out over the city. So far Johnny hadn't noticed the tears and she wanted to keep it that way. He beat her to the next comment. "Is there any change?"

"He's awake." Emily started, hesitant. She knew exactly how Elizabeth had felt when she needed to tell Emily the truth.

Behind her, Johnny let out a cheer. "That's great. Let me guess, Elizabeth's hogging him so you've come up here to wait?"

His gravely voice almost soothed Emily, his words made her laugh. "No, Elizabeth isn't hogging him, Tony Jones is."

Johnny snorted. "Don't like that guy. I was there when he kidnapped Michael. Then again, you knew that. You were there too. So, anyway, how is Jason? Do you guys know anything?" he asked more gently. He'd begun to realize that not all was right with Jason, even though he was awake. It was obvious in the way Emily's voice wavered and her shoulders slumped.

"He's..." Emily started before the words got to heavy and she couldn't hold back the tears. Johnny heard her sob and quickly turned her around.

He held her by the shoulders and then used one hand to lift her chin so he could look at her. "Hey, it's okay. You can tell me."

"He's blind, Johnny. He can't see. And we don't know if it's just temporary, or if it's worse. I mean, how much more is he going to be expected to deal with?" She asked. He understood most of her words even though her voice was distorted by heart wrenching sobs.

On pure instinct Johnny pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her. One hand rubbed circles on her back and the other ran through her hair. "Shh… It's okay."

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_Hope you enjoyed… please review!_


	13. Confirmation

**Blind to Love**: Confirmation

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_Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you all liked both the Jason/Elizabeth and the Johnny/Emily scenes._

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_**--- Hallway Outside of Jason's Room**_

Sonny paced steadily over the next half an hour. How could pronouncing someone blind take so long? The second he had the thought he felt a wave of guilt so strong that he needed to sit down.

Johnny and Emily walked down the hallway together. Sonny's mind was too preoccupied to notice their linked hands. He didn't care. All he was focused on was Tony walking through the door, finally. The doctor's face the very epitome of bad news.

The grim expression didn't help the nerves of the room's occupants. Courtney had gone somewhere else only moments after Emily had left and Sonny couldn't bring himself to care. Alan stood off to the side, but rushed forward to greet their colleague. Elizabeth and Carly were standing almost simultaneously to greet the doctor. Emily left Johnny's side to take a place next to Elizabeth and the two girls linked arms.

Elizabeth was the first to speak, her voice was shaky as if she wasn't sure if it would work. "How, um, how is he Dr. Jones?"

Taking a deep breath, Tony started out his prognosis. "The trauma to his brain has resulted in loss of vision, as I'm sure Elizabeth filled you all in on. The extent is full, as he cannot see the difference in lights and darks along with all other vision." Tony spouted out the words in the patented "good doctor with bad news" tone.

"Lights and darks?" Carly questioned with a frown. She pushed aside all of the usual feelings she had towards Tony Jones and focused on Jason solely, which appeared to be what Tony was doing also.

Nodding, Tony explained further. "When you close your eyes in the sun, you still know its light out. Are you all following me?" Once the whole room made some indication as to their understanding Tony continued. "We turned the lights in the room on and off but Jason was unable to tell us anything of that nature."

"Is he okay...otherwise?" Sonny asked hesitantly. Tony's eyes snapped back to him.

The doctor seemed to be unsure if Sonny meant emotionally or with his other injuries. After a short moment of deliberation, Tony decided to go with the latter even if it wasn't Sonny's intent. "His arm is healing, and should be fine soon. Most of the other injuries along with the cuts and bruises are healing nicely."

"Is there any chance this is temporary?" Emily asked, her voice shaking. Beside her, Elizabeth tensed, too nervous to hope.

"Head injuries are a very tricky thing." Dr. Jones said, "His vision could come back in time, be it complete return of sight or any degree in between. Or, he may be blind for the rest of his life."

Monica and Alan then pulled Tony aside, to start talking about all the statistics and medical jargon that no one else in the hallway understood. Emily and Elizabeth both stared that the door ahead of them apprehensively.

Each person wanted to the first to go in, but at the same time, they didn't want to ever step foot in the room - being the first to go in meant heading into a situation that no one knew how to deal with.

Just as Tony seemed to be done speaking with the Quartermaines, Sonny stepped in. He didn't have much to say, just a quick message. He grabbed Tony's arm and the man turned to look at him.

"If you think that your personal feelings about Jason are going to get in the way of being his doctor, then say it now, because if you do anything to him or affect his progress in any way, you'll regret it." Sonny whispered so as not to alert anyone else of the conversation.

Tony simply nodded and Sonny knew that he took his oath as a doctor too seriously to hurt Jason in any way. Still, the threat had to be made. Sonny let go of Tony's arm and Tony rushed away.

As Sonny turned to look back at the rest of the hallway, Elizabeth detangled herself from Emily's hold and headed to the door of Jason's room.

She placed her hand on the doorknob and took a deep breath.

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_Elizabeth and Jason next chapter! I promise!_


	14. No Words Needed

**Blind to Love:** No Words Needed

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_Thanks to all of the readers and reviewers. Here's your liason!_

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_**--- Jason's Hospital Room**_

It was her.

He knew it. She didn't have to say anything at all, which she wasn't aware of quite yet. Jason made no move to announce that he knew of her presence. The uncertainty that he'd been battling – and losing to – retreated for only a second before it came back and hit him full force.

Elizabeth didn't realize he knew she was there. She was too busy staring at him. His eyes stared straight ahead of him and didn't move. They didn't appear to be focused on any one thing in front of him, just staring out. The thought that she may never get to see those blue eyes staring into hers and reading her soul was a frightening, but her feelings didn't matter, not now at least. The only thing that mattered was that he was alive.

She took a tentative step in. "Jason?" When he didn't respond, she tried again, "It's..."

"Elizabeth."

Her name startled her. Obviously he'd recognized her voice, but she still hadn't been expecting it. His voice was neutral, but it had a distinct tremble to it. "Can I, um, do you want me to come in?"

When a minute passed and there was no response, she just assumed that he didn't want to see anyone. With a stab, she realized that it might just be her that he didn't want to be near. "I'm sorry. I'll go..." she trailed off as she turned around.

"NO!" He called, clearly alarmed. "Stay, please… I need you to stay." Jason's voice begged her back. Elizabeth instantly turned around and she hurried to him. His arm was out as though he was going to try and grab her, but just didn't know how far away she was. She sat down on the bed and grabbed the outstretched hand.

His breathing was harsh as though the thought of her leaving had only made the fear more intense and it had left him breathless.

Jason leaned back against the pillows of the bed and stayed quiet again. His hand tightly gripped hers back and he didn't show any intention of letting her go. "Jason, it's alright." She started in a way to comfort him.

"No, it's not." He countered. No one could go into his room and say that. He was blind and he may never see again. That was not right or okay. "You don't know if it will ever be alright again."

She sighed, and it was her way of conceding that he had a point without actually voicing the horrible words. "You're right. You may not. But Jason, if you don't or if you do, I'll be here."

He let out a bitter laugh. "I don't want you here to take care of me or feel sorry for me, Elizabeth."

Her eyes closed in sadness. He didn't understand. "You aren't pushing me away. I'm not staying because I pity you. I'm staying because you mean a lot to me. I'm your friend, remember?"

"I know you are." He quietly agreed. The emotions swirled inside of him and he couldn't get them to stop. They were controlling his thoughts and he couldn't make sense of anything. Fear was not something he was accustomed to.

Even without eyesight, he could feel the smile she bestowed upon him. "Why are you smiling?"

Elizabeth couldn't think of anything to say. How did he know she had smiled at him? Brushing it off, she answered his question. "Because you just said you wouldn't push me away."

"I said that I know you're my friend. I didn't say that." Jason reminded her. Their conversation was slowly calming him down. The exact effect Elizabeth was hoping that it would have.

"I won't let you push me away Jason. I know this is the part where that's what we do. Things go good and then something happens to send one of us running scared, but I'm not losing you again." Elizabeth explained in a firm but gentle tone. This was their pattern, their bad habit. It was, she decided, a habit that ended now.

Jason stayed quiet. He knew that was what usually happened. He didn't want to drag her down and let her waste her time with him. He didn't even want to waste his time on himself. "Elizabeth..."

Whatever protest he had, she didn't even want to hear. "No, Jason. I know what you're going to say. That walking away now would be better. I'd be safe. Or that you aren't worth it. But I didn't sit hear every single day since you've been asleep for hours on end just so I could walk away."

"You – you've been sitting with me?" he asked slowly, actually sounding a little surprised.

One of her hands made its way to the side of his face. He flinched back when he felt something brushing against his cheek, not knowing what it was, but it only took a second to realize it was Elizabeth's hand. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"I was afraid I'd lose you." She whispered.

The fear in her voice cut at his heart. He wanted nothing more than to make it go away, but if he couldn't even calm his own fears, then how could he do the same for her? "You won't lose me."

"Promise me you won't give up on yourself?" She demanded, still whispering.

Jason didn't know what to make of her request. He wanted to make her feel better, but he didn't know what to do anymore. All he could do was rely on others now, something that Jason was not used to – something he didn't even want to try to get used to, "I promise to try."

Knowing that was the best she could get, Elizabeth settled for a promise to try. "That's all I ask. I meant what I said. I'm not leaving you now."

"I can't..." Jason took a deep breath. His other hand reached up and settled itself against the hand she had against his cheek. He turned his face to lean into her touch. "I don't think I can do this Elizabeth. I don't know how."

"No one knows how to do this Jason. I can't tell you what to do. No one can. But I'll be here while you figure it out." She promised again so he'd get her message.

He sighed and it broke her heart. He sounded defeated.

"I'm scared."

Her only response was to hold him.

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_Reviews are love. _


	15. Reflections

**Blind to Love:** Reflections

---

_Thank you to all of the reviewers!_

_This is the same night as last chapter.

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_

_**---Jason's Hospital Room**_

He was blind. That was all there really was to it. No more motorcycle rides, he couldn't work for Sonny anymore, he couldn't read his travel books and he'd never play a pool game again.

Basically, everything he loved to do in life was ripped away from him.

And for some strange reason, Jason just continued to sit there, too tired to move or care. Maybe he was still in shock. Maybe he'd lost it, or maybe he just didn't have the heart to care anymore.

No one would tell him what had gone down with Courtney exactly. She had been in is room, but hadn't come back since he'd woken up. It didn't really matter for now anyway. He wouldn't want to face her, not even when the numbness receded. Certainly not after he came to grips with what had happened and figured out what his life was going to be now.

Then he'd want to get as far away from her as he could, or he'd risk killing her. Jason twisted his lips in some parody of a self-loathing smile. It wouldn't be hard for Courtney to survive any murder attempt of his. She'd just have to stand quietly in a part of the room that he wouldn't be able to fling his arms into.

He'd be useless to everyone he knew. He wouldn't be able to protect the people he loved, though they would need to protect him. He didn't want that. He didn't want to be a burden to anyone.

As much as he would love to be able to get up and just walk out of their lives, he knew he couldn't. He knew that he needed their help, and he knew that they wanted to help. All he needed now though – eyesight aside – was the strength to keep going. Not to give up, or at least to try, as he'd promised Elizabeth what he could.

When Emily had visited before she had said that there was always another side to the tunnel. The only problem left was that he wouldn't know when he got to that elusive other side. Hard to tell that type of thing when you couldn't even see if the light was getting brighter as you got closer.

_**--- Hospital Roof**_

Elizabeth sighed, it was gorgeous out tonight. The stars where still shining and the city below her was bustling with activity. It would have made a beautiful painting.

She'd gone up to the roof so that she could be someplace quiet to think. This wasn't exactly the quiet that she'd had in mind, but it was the best she was going to get anywhere on the property. The hospital didn't care what time it was, it was always busy and loud. She needed some silence to process things.

Jason's scared face still burned her memory, making her know full and well that she'd never get his face out of her mind. Or his voice, his words and how his hand felt, clutching hers with all the desperation he possessed.

His tendency to push people away when things got hard or dangerous was the only thing that scared her more than how he looked the last time they talked. He might not want to admit it, but he would need help. Not forever, but until he was used to things.

She wanted to slap herself because of her own thought. How could someone get used to being blind?

She closed her eyes, shaking her head and reminded herself over and over again that he _would_ adjust. He would get stronger and surer of himself. It would happen. Jason was strong, strong enough to survive this.

And she would help him. A new resolve filtered through her. She wouldn't allow him to push her away. She would stand by him and help him get through what Courtney caused. No matter how hard he tried to send her away.

_**--- Hospital Chapel**_

The church was quiet, the only quiet place Sonny knew of in a hospital. It was comforting; finally he was allowed to think without others around him. That was really what the chapel was really for. Yes, it was for prayer, but it was for quiet too.

With a long sigh, Sonny pulled his hand down over his face. Every time he tried to clear his mind, the thoughts wouldn't stop coming. His sister, wife, son - all of them affected in a negative way, but most of all, he couldn't stop the anger and fear he felt when he thought about Jason.

His eyes closed as he though about his friend. It was partly his fault. He'd let them stay together. He could have worked harder to keep them apart. He knew it would never work between them, but the extent that it had gone to was far further than he'd expected.

His sister had slammed into his best friend with a car, and now Jason couldn't see. His whole life was changed, all because she was bitter he had been spending time with Elizabeth again. Anyone could have told her that it was inevitable.

Not only was he Jason's best friend, but he was the boss too. Jason could not continue working. The job that Jason had used, for better or worse, to define himself could no longer be his.

Sonny had to be the one to take that away from him, whether or not it was because of Courtney. Sonny would have to be the one to put the final nail in that coffin.

When it came down to it, his organization was the least of his worries. At that moment, getting Jason well and safe was the biggest priority he had.

"But that doesn't mean he'll let me." Sonny whispered, the first noise to break the quiet since he'd sat down.

_**--- Limo – Parking Lot**_

Johnny sat quietly in the front seat. He got the impression that Mrs. Corinthos had no intentions of leaving the hospital, but just needed a few minutes away.

Carly sat perfectly still in the back seat. The divider was up between she and Johnny, and that was how she wanted it. He didn't need to see her cry.

When she went back into the hospital, she needed to be strong. She shouldn't be the one crying, but every now and then a stubborn tear would leak out of her eyes. That was all that Carly would allow to escape.

Her mind kept pulling her back to how she'd helped Jason and Courtney get together. She felt like a fool. Actually, she'd felt like one for quite some time. A bubbly blonde and a stoic enforcer weren't a match made in heaven. More like a match made up in a mental ward.

Her thoughts were a jumble, and all Carly could go back to was a vision of Jason's eyes. They looked at her and she could have sworn a million times that he was looking in her soul. He could see her lies, he could see her fear. Under the façade she'd put up so flawlessly for others, he could see the real her.

So few people saw the Carly that meant well, the Carly that wasn't all bad and who wasn't an evil tramp. Jason had been the first person to see underneath where so few were willing to look. How was it that the eyes that had seen her soul could now see nothing?

Would things change between them? Would he continue to see through her lies and half truths or would she lie to him just because she could? She relied on Jason to call her on her problems, and then save her. The question had long since stopped being _could he_, but had now become _could she ask that of him_?

Maybe she had become the sort of person that had the strength not to so desperately need a solid rock to rely on. Could she become a saving grace for him, as he was always for her?

There were too many questions, and not enough of her mind was free to think things over, not when she was so focused on how their lives had been shattered by someone who had proved herself to be the enemy.

Carly decided that she needed to think of the perfect punishment for the person who had done it.

_**--- Outside Jason's Room**_

Emily watched the door with an unblinking eye. If Jason needed something, she would do it. She was training herself to jump up and rush in to help. She didn't know if he'd be angry or appreciate it, but she'd be there for him all the same, just as he'd been for her.

All she could remember were the she had needed him to be there for her. Even if it was just to talk, he'd been there. Now it was her turn. She'd always assumed that there would be no real way to get even halfway close to being as good a sister to him as he had been a good brother to her.

She didn't even really care about being even. Jason had been through too much since he had woken up eight years ago. He didn't deserve this, nobody did.

With that thought, she got it into her head to check on him. Emily got up and walked to the door, and with only a moment's hesitation, she pushed it open. Her heart clenched at the sight.

Jason was sleeping quietly in his bed, eyes closed and head tilted off to the side. He looked peaceful; you'd never know that he was anything but. Quietly, so as not to wake him, she walked over.

She placed a small kiss on his forehead without a word. After straightening up the blankets, Emily sat down next to him, vowing to be there when he woke up the next morning.

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_I hope Jason doesn't seem too out of character, he's still in shock, I've decided. Please, review. _


	16. When Answers Don't Come Easily

**Blind to Love: **When Answers Don't Come Easily

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_First off, and always most importantly, thank you to the reviewers that have kept me from completely abandoning my stories. You guys are amazing._

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_-----------------------------General Hospital – Outside Jason's Room_

Emily had been sitting outside of Jason's room for what seemed like forever. She'd been kicked out when a nurse had come to check on Jason. As the nurse moved towards the end of Jason's bed to get his chart, she'd suggested Emily go home and get some rest.

Clearly, this woman didn't know how stubborn a Quartermaine could be.

She wasn't moving one inch from this hospital until absolutely necessary. Emily was more than aware that even if she did leave, Jason wouldn't be alone, but at the same time the thought of leaving her brother was unthinkable. He'd been there for her so many times, she would be damned if she left him to deal with this alone now.

Determination and adrenalin were the only things that were really keeping her going at this point. Emotionally she was drained and she was well on her way to being physically drained on top of that.

"Emily."

At the sound of her name, Emily looked up from the floor tile she'd been a staring hole into. "Hi, Johnny." She said tiredly, giving him a small smile.

The bodyguard sat down next to her in one of the hard plastic seats. "How's he doing?" He asked, nodding his head towards the closed door of Jason's room.

"He was sleeping when I left." Emily informed him. "A nurse threw me out." She said, sounding slightly annoyed. Actually, she could hardly be angry with the woman for just doing her job.

Johnny favored her with a quiet laugh. He sounded just as tired as she did. "I just left Carly with Sonny. She seemed to be trying not to cry."

"There's a lot of that happening around here." Emily tried to joke. It fell short though, when her voice wavered.

A hand fell on her shoulder and Emily gave Johnny a grateful smile. "I can't believe this is happening."

"There's a lot of that going around too." Johnny said gently.

Emily's eyes closed for a second, and she took a deep breath. "I feel useless." She admitted, her voice quiet.

"You're not." Johnny reassured her. "He's going to need all the help he can get, you know that."

Shaking her head, Emily tried to ignore the burning feeling in her eyes. "No, it's not that. It's just…everything – _everything_ – that's ever been wrong in my life he's tried to fix for me. I always knew that if all else failed, I could count on Jason." She stopped speaking for a minute, a lump in her throat making speech difficult.

"You're afraid of losing that?" Johnny prodded when Emily fell silent.

"Oh god no. That would be selfish of me, wouldn't it?" She said with a harsh laugh.

"Then what?" Johnny asked.

Emily tried to get all of her thoughts together. Everything was getting more and more jumbled, now that her focus was being ripped away from her. She hadn't intended to open up to Johnny. She'd been avoiding it actually, since she was trying so hard to keep in control. "I want to fix this for him, I want him to be able to count on me. But I know I can't and he won't. I know that."

"And so you feel useless." Johnny concluded. Emily nodded, glad that he understood. "Emily, you can't give him his sight back. He might get it back all on his own, he might not, we don't know. Until we figure that out though, you can just be there for him. It's enough."

"It doesn't feel like enough." She replied faintly. She stared back at the door, wishing she could see through it and to her brother. They might not share blood, but they had everything else.

Johnny rubbed a hand down her back. "It's going to have to be."

_-----------------------------General Hospital – The Waiting Room_

Carly and Sonny sat next to each other, holding hands. "Sitting here isn't helping him. It certainly doesn't make me feel any better." Carly said, tiredly.

"Maybe you should get some sleep." Sonny offered.

She didn't even bother to respond, and Sonny knew she wouldn't have anyway. Sighing, he straightened up and turned to her. "There's nothing you can do right now, Carly."

Carly turned to him, hunching over her knees to put her head in her hands. She felt Sonny's hand on her back, offering what comfort he could. Inside, he felt the same way she did.

"This is driving me insane," She admitted. "I don't think either of us are made for sitting and waiting." Carly ruefully added, quirking a half smile to Sonny. He returned it, briefly.

"No, we're not." He agreed.

They stayed quiet a moment more. "We'll have to change things around in the penthouse, to make it easier for him." Carly went on.

"He won't like that."

"As if I'm not aware of that!" Carly snapped, but quieted quickly, knowing it wouldn't help. She took a deep breath. "Sorry."

Sonny shook his head, waving her apology off. "I wasn't kidding about sleeping."

"You've been here as long as I have." She pointed out. "Don't you need to sleep as much, Sonny?"

She had him there, and they both let the subject drop. Neither one of them was willing to leave quite yet. They probably needed to stay for themselves more than Jason needed them to stay. He was resting, the doctors could take care of him, and there was nothing they could do for him. Still, they stayed.

Sonny straightened out, sitting back in his chair. His hand absently rubbed Carly's back.

They were there for the long haul.

--------------------------_Port Charles Police Department_

Courtney paced back and forth in her cell, hands running up and down her arms in a vague play at keeping herself calm.

Sonny hadn't been by to see her, no one had. "This wasn't how it was supposed to go." She whispered.

After she'd been to Jason's hospital room, the police had come. Someone in the hospital had called them, she didn't know who, but there was a long list of who it could have been. She half thought that Sonny had something to do with it. They said that she was now considered a risk, because she'd gone near Jason again.

They didn't care that she had desperately needed to talk to him, they'd just put her back in the jail cell.

Courtney nearly jumped when she heard the footsteps coming down the hall. Her hope rose for a minute, but quickly crashed when she saw who it was.

"Elizabeth."

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_All right, filler chapter yes, but at least there's a mini-cliffhanger. Once again, I don't know when another chapter will be posted, but with summer here and school over, who knows? _

_**Please, everyone, REVIEW!**_


	17. Letting Jason Go

**Blind to Love: **Letting Jason Go

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_Thank you again to the amazing reviewers, you guys rock! _

_------------------------------Police Station_

_Courtney nearly jumped when she heard the footsteps coming down the hall. Her hope rose for a minute, but quickly crashed when she saw who it was. _

"_Elizabeth."_

"You looked really hopeful there for a second, Courtney." Elizabeth asked, trying to keep her voice light. She thought she'd accomplished that, but there was no keeping the absolute hatred out of her eyes, even if she tried.

Elizabeth watched Courtney slowly sit down onto a chair in her cell. The action looked like it was meant to be casual, but came out as anything but. Courtney looked tense, and more than a little worried as to why Elizabeth would have come to see her. That was all right, though, since Elizabeth certainly didn't want the blonde to be relaxed.

"I thought you might have been Sonny, coming to visit." Courtney replied, her voice strained.

Elizabeth finished the walk up to Courtney's cell, and stopped right in front of it. She gave out a little laugh, though it hardly had any humor in it. "Sonny? I don't think he wants to see you anytime soon."

"He's my brother," Courtney countered, "And you know how much family means to him."

Nodding a bit, Elizabeth rested her arm onto the cell bars. "He's a little busy with his brother, right now, to rush and baby his sister."

Standing, Courtney walked a bit towards where Elizabeth was. She stopped just short of the bars, as though nervous that Elizabeth would try something. "How is Jason?"

Elizabeth clenched her jaw at the sound of Jason's name coming from Courtney's mouth. "I don't think you care." She said, her voice sounding angry no matter how hard she tried to keep that from happening.

Courtney smirked, glad to have rattled Elizabeth even a little. "Oh, but I _do_ care." She said, leaning forward a little to get in Elizabeth's face.

"Because they haven't given you any drugs in here?" Elizabeth spat, losing the cool that she'd hoped to keep during their conversation. Luckily, though, she seemed to have hit a spot with Courtney. Fighting with Courtney wasn't what she had come to do, but it didn't seem to be avoidable.

The blonde reeled back, stung and visibly so. "You don't know what you're talking about." She said, trying to save face.

It wasn't working. Elizabeth took a step back from the bars, but her presence was still suffocating Courtney. "I think I do." She said, smiling. "I think you need those drugs. I think, even knowing what you've done to Jason because of them, that you _still_ want them."

Courtney's face nearly crumbled, she turned away from the taunting brunette to collect herself.

Elizabeth didn't stop for Courtney's delicate mood. "The fact that I'm upsetting you even talking about it, the fact that I could see in your eyes just how much you want those drugs…all it proves is that you don't really love Jason."

Spinning around, Courtney nearly yelled, "I do love Jason. I love him more than anything!"

"More than you'd love a brand-new bottle of pills right now?"

That made Courtney stop, for a fraction of a second, but Elizabeth caught it all the same. "And you call me the horrible one." Elizabeth said, disgusted.

Courtney didn't know what to say to that. _Was_ there anything she could have said? She loved Jason, even if Elizabeth didn't believe it. She just _needed_ those drugs. They made everything easier for her, her emotions being the first on that list.

Elizabeth watched Courtney carefully, reading the changing emotions that played on her expressions. "I think you honestly do care about him." She said, slowly, not liking that she was admitting it. She would need to, however, if she wanted to get the message across.

Surprised, Courtney looked up. The shock was clearly on her face, as though she would have had an easier time believing that Elizabeth thought the opposite. "You, um, you do?"

"Yes, even if I don't want to admit it." Elizabeth said, keeping her voice even. "I don't think that you love him, though."

Courtney's shocked visage changed into one of anger. She opened her mouth, but Elizabeth kept going.

"You hurt him, Courtney, even if you didn't mean to. Do you have any idea how bad off he is?" She asked, not waiting for an answer. It wouldn't have helped if she had, Courtney didn't have one. "He's blind, he's cut in a million different places, and he's laid up in the one place that he truly hates."

"I didn't…" Courtney tried, her voice a slight whisper.

Elizabeth didn't want her excuses though. "I know. You didn't mean to, but you did. You were under the influence of prescription pills, and you weren't in your right mind."

Courtney nodded, more than a little frantically. "Exactly." She said, ignoring who she was talking to in favor of agreeing with someone who wasn't going to cast her as the villain.

"But that doesn't change what you did. It doesn't change that you were addicted to these pills and didn't tell him." Elizabeth said, more forcefully this time.

Courtney looked as if she wanted to contest the bit about being addicted. She didn't want to admit that there was a problem. She looked to Elizabeth, who looked mildly pitying, but stern nonetheless. Bowing her head, Courtney didn't say a word.

"You didn't trust him enough to get help, you didn't love him enough to stop, and you hurt him because of it." Elizabeth said. "He might be blind for the rest of his life, because you couldn't bear the thought of him being friends with me. Did you even think about Jason before you set some revenge plan in motion?"

The prisoner's eyes closed, she shook her head. Courtney looked all at once defeated, like Elizabeth knew that she would. Without those drugs in her system, Courtney would have been much easier to shake out of her little lie-based world than she would have been otherwise. Carly's approach had been yelling, and while that had gotten Courtney to realize that her family was angry, it wouldn't have helped Jason. Elizabeth had needed to make Courtney understand what she had done, and screaming obscenities wasn't going to do it.

Had this been anything besides planned, then Elizabeth wasn't sure she would have been strong enough to keep herself as calm as she was being. She wanted to yell, to scream and rage about what Courtney had done. She wanted to hurt Courtney as much as Courtney had hurt Jason. That feeling scared her a little, because it was so intense. She held out though, and thought with her mind instead of her heart.

"You need to get help and you need to be punished for what you've done." Elizabeth said, seeing the way that Courtney shuddered a bit at the words alone. "This isn't something that Sonny can make go away with the snap of his fingers, and he wouldn't even if he could. You can't just go around and act like this."

Plunging ahead, Elizabeth made sure her voice didn't leave room for any arguments. "Even if you get let out on bail again, or you get a sentence that has nothing to do with jail, you are going to stay away from Jason." She said.

Courtney looked up at that, more than she had when Elizabeth had alluded to the court trial and what that might mean for her future. Their eyes connected for a second, and Elizabeth could see that Courtney was sorry for what she had done, and that she did love Jason. They kept the eye contact for a second, before Courtney turned away.

"You can't make this better, Courtney. You can't make this up to him." Elizabeth said, speaking more gently to Sonny's sister than she ever had before. "He might forgive you, someday, but he'll never be able to love you the way he did again, and you need to accept that. The best thing that you can do for him is to stay away. He needs to learn how to live without being able to see, he needs to learn to accept what you've done to him. He can't do that if you're pushing yourself into his life asking for a second chance."

Courtney stared at the wall behind where Elizabeth was. She couldn't stand to look at the mix of pity and hatred in Elizabeth's eyes. It hurt too much, and it made her confront the truth of what she did to Jason in a way that she wasn't ready for yet.

Elizabeth stopped talking, and it was clear to Courtney that she was waiting. The familiar feeling of tears in her eyes made Courtney blink a few times, and she tried hard not to cry in front of Elizabeth. She had the feeling that Elizabeth wouldn't have faulted her for it if she had cried, but for some reason she fought letting that happen with all she had.

"Courtney?"

With a deep breath, Courtney let Jason go.

"_I promise." _

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_Now I'm sure that most liason fans would have liked me to have had this whole chapter be one big cat fight in which Elizabeth tore Court to shreds. I didn't want to do that though, and I thought this would be all the more satisfying (though having Liz pull out Court's hair would have been nice!)_

_**I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please, review!**_


	18. Adaptation

**Blind to Love: **Adaptation

_Thank you again to all of the loyal reviewers, I wouldn't still do this if it weren't for all of you! Just so that you all know, I think we're a little more than halfway done with this story._

_-----------------------------The Hospital_

Sonny stood silently in the doorway to Jason's hospital room, trying not to make a sound while he watched his best friend. It was hard to do, to keep the strange half-sob that he'd wanted to make from alerting Jason to his presence.

Finally awake, Jason was just laying in the hospital bed. Sonny knew that they only had so much longer before Jason started asking when he could be checked out. The fact that he hadn't yet could only be attributed to the fact that Jason had largely been asleep.

He still wasn't entirely sure what they would do when he _did_ ask.

They couldn't keep Jason locked up in a hospital forever, and Sonny knew it wasn't an option if they wanted Jason sane. Their problems, however, would only multiply when Jason was out of the hospital. Could he live alone? What would he do to work, since Sonny knew his best friend well enough to know it didn't take much to get him going stir crazy.

"Who's there?"

Sonny snapped to attention at the hard sound of Jason's voice. "Me." He said quickly, stepping fully into the room and then to the chair next to Jason's bed. "How did you know I was standing there."

"I could feel you staring." Jason said, sounding short and annoyed. "My eyesight is gone, not everything else."

Sonny winced at what Jason had said. He knew that anger wasn't so far behind shock. "I know that, Jase."

"Then don't stand there staring at me like everyone else." Jason said, running a hand down his face. "I think it's turning into some hospital pastime."

"And you hate it." Sonny finished for him. "I can't blame you. I would too." There was a pause then, and Sonny could feel tension fill him even more. This was more difficult than he'd thought it would be. It wasn't often that talking to Jason was hard, but what was he supposed to say now? "How do you feel?"

"Fine."

Sonny sighed, feeling as though he was doing a lot of that lately. "Okay. Fair enough."

"Has anything happened?" Jason asked suddenly.

Sonny stared at him, unsure of what he meant. Jason made an impatient noise, "Business."

"No business." Sonny said quickly. "We're not discussing this right now." The answer was firm and he meant it. There was time enough for that later.

"You can't avoid it, Sonny." Jason said, anger bleeding out of his voice. It was being quickly replaced by nothing but weary acceptance. Sonny had to wonder how long Jason had been awake before he'd come home from sleeping. If it had been a while, he could only guess at what had been running through Jason's head.

"For now we can." He said, "This doesn't need to be discussed yet."

Jason shook his head, "It does. You're leaving yourself open if you don't have someone to…replace me."

Sonny turned away from Jason then, and stood. Jason couldn't see it, but Sonny was sure that the noise and Jason's knowledge of him would let him know what Sonny had done. Probably even why. "Later, Jason."

"No, now. How long do you think everyone will just back off? Talk to Johnny and Francis, I'm serious." Jason said, sounding earnest. It was strange to hear. Sonny could clearly see how much this meant to him.

"They're not as good as you." Sonny said simply, bringing things to the root of the matter. There was much more he didn't say there, but he knew that Jason knew, even if he couldn't see it on Sonny's face. Some part of him was grateful for it.

"They can see." Jason shot back, emotionless.

Sonny closed his eyes, "Jase…"

"Oh good, you're awake."

Sonny opened his eyes again. Monica breezed into the room in a way that only a doctor could. She was looking at his chart with the impartiality of a doctor too, but Sonny knew that it was only façade.

Jason didn't say anything to that, and it was clearly noticed by Monica. She seemed uncertain for a second, "Jason, it's…"

"Monica. I know. I'm not deaf." Jason stated, annoyed. Sonny had the feeling it would be happening quite a bit.

Monica nodded to that, even though Jason couldn't see it. "How are you feeling, Jason? Better?"

"I'm fine." He said, giving her nothing more than he'd given Sonny. "You're not my doctor."

"Yes, Tony is." She agreed, ignoring the dark look that crossed Jason's face. "He's a very good neurosurgeon, Jason. He'll be an asset, I promise." She moved to sit near the bed. "And as for me not being your doctor, I am in fact able to help you. I think that it would be a good idea to discuss mobility now, Jason."

Sonny stepped forward. "What do you mean?"

"I mean learning to walk." Monica said, Jason opened his mouth but she cut him off. "With a cane."

Jason shut his mouth at that. He didn't say a word. Monica kept going, "It's very important that you're open to the idea, Jason, or else you'll find it infinitely harder. I've already cleared it with Tony and set you up an appointment with a physical therapist. She'll be coming into speak with you about the whole process. I've already warned her that you'll probably want to get in as much time as you can." She said with a small smile.

It made sense to Sonny then and he grinned. Sitting in the bed would do Jason's state of mind no good, and Monica clearly knew her son well enough to know that. He had no doubt that Jason would master this in no time.

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_I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'm sorry it's so short and for the wait. _

_Please! Review! Even just a short line to tell me your opinion! _


	19. Words and Pictures

**Blind to Love: Words and Pictures**

_**--**_

_A big thank you to all of the reviewers! I can't tell you guys how happy I am that there's still interest in these stories even though they've got nothing to do with what's on the show now. _

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_--General Hopsital_

Elizabeth stood by the door to Jason's room for only a second. She'd been warned by more than one person that Jason had gained an uncanny knack for knowing when someone was watching him. It was unspoken that this annoyed him. She didn't want to add to his frustration, especially for something as stupid as needing a minute to collect herself before walking into his room.

"I hear you've been quite the little star in physical therapy." Elizabeth said brightly, walking into the room without announcing who she was. Jason's complete lack of surprise let her know that he'd been aware of her all along. It was all the better she'd acted like there wasn't a thing wrong with him.

Jason didn't smile at the praise, but she hadn't expected him to. "She only lets me work on it for a couple of hours before I get sent back in here." He offered, something vaguely like a whine in his words.

Elizabeth smiled, glad to see he wasn't letting himself rot in the hospital room. "Who's _she_?"

His face scrunched up for a second. "Uh...the physical therapist. Kathy, Katie...something." He paused then, before declaring, "She talks too much."

In Jason's world, Elizabeth was sure, _everybody _talked too much. She smiled though, because he sounded more himself today than he had previously. "Monica could probably get you someone else if you decide that you don't like her."

"She's fine." He shrugged.

They let themselves fall into a comfortable silence. Elizabeth took out some of her drawing pads and pencils, just as she had all week. He'd been awake for only a week and a half, but she could tell that being alone still wasn't his favorite thing. That said, neither was meaningless conversation. Though Jason wouldn't admit it to anyone, epecially since she was sure that he was still reeling from letting so much show before, but he needed to be able to sit with someone, even if there was no conversation involved. He was practically ready to break out of the hospital as it was, but Elizabeth suspected Sonny had done something to keep him from trying it, blindness be damned. With injuries as severe as Jason's they could all be sure that he'd been staying for a while longer. At the very least until he was a bit further along with trusting his other senses to make up for his lack of sight.

Jason's voice startled her out of her thoughts. "Johnny said you went and saw Courtney."

Elizabeth set the pencil down, not sure what to say. Lying, however, wasn't an option. "Old news." Elizabeth admitted, trying to sound casual about it, "That was nearly a week ago."

"But you did go." Jason asked.

She started to give a hesitant nod, but stopped to verbally answer him. "Yes, I went."

"Why?"

"Because..." She took a deep breath, "Because I wanted to protect you from her."

Jason stayed silent for a minute and once he spoke she knew why - he didn't like her answer. "I don't need you to protect me. I can take care of myself."

"I protect my friends," She said finally, "You're just going to have to put up with it."

He clearly didn't like it still, but let that go in favor of what she felt was an even more awkward topic. "What did you say to her?"

"Johnny doesn't have a recording of it for you?" She joked, but felt wrong for saying it the moment it was out of her mouth. Old habits die hard, but avoidance sounded so nice right then. "I'm sorry." She said.

"Don't apologize." Jason answered, "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine."

He sounded like he meant that; that he'd drop it if she really didn't want him to know, but she knew that if they wanted things to work this time, she couldn't just play a pass card when he hit a topic she didn't want to discuss. "I said that I really do think that she cares about you, that I don't think she loves you. I said she's an addict and she deserves what's happening to her."

"She couldn't have liked that." Jason said after a minute. It wasn't the sort of comment he normally made, because Jason Morgan didn't like to state anything, let alone the obvious. He was more trying to prod her along.

She appreciated it, "Yeah. She didn't. I didn't think she would."

This time he didn't try and move things along, but let her gather her thoughts. "I told her Sonny wasn't going to make this go away." Elizabeth continued. "I told her to stop acting like he could or even would. I told her that if she really cared about you more than the pills that she had to let you go."

Jason nodded and it occured to Elizabeth that he should be more upset about this. That he wasn't sort of upset her. All of this...for a woman he didn't even really like.

"She promised she would." Elizabeth finished.

"Good."

"Good?"

Jason sighed, "I don't hate her, I think. I should have...I don't know. I should have seen there was a problem." He held up his hand when Elizabeth made to protest, "It's true. I'm not saying I blame myself, but I could have done more, if I had really wanted to."

"If she hadn't of made it so you were miserable in her presence, you might have been able to." Elizabeth said in an undertone. Jason heard it all the same and nodded as if she'd offered the fact for his judgement.

"But I don't want to see her again." Jason said, then winced. She knew he was thinking abou the literal meaning of his words the same way he always did. He understood figures of speech perfectly well, but anything to do with blindness just wasn't a turn of phrase he wanted.

She jumped in then, hoping to take his mind off what he'd just said. "You won't have to."

"Because of you." He said, quietly, and she knew it was a thank you that he didn't want to have to say. It was going to be a change for him to let people help, but this was going to have to be a start.

_-- Port Charles Courthouse_

"Judge Brooks?" Carly said, knocking on the door to the man's office. She recieved a gruff invitation to enter and she did so with more confidence than she'd ever had.

Without asking, she sat down in the chair opposite the man's desk. Judge Brooks was a man that, shockingly enough considering her history, she hadn't come across in all of her years in Port Charles. That said, she wasn't entirely unfamiliar with his track record. Not after the extensive researching she had done on him the moment he'd been named the judge for Courtney's trial. Thus far he'd done well enough for Carly's taste, setting the bail high enough that the only people who could have paid it - Jason, Sonny and the Quartermaines, to name a few - most certainly wouldn't.

That, however, wasn't enough for Carly's peace of mind. She wanted jail time for Courtney and she'd found enough people in Sonny's organization who felt the same way. Francis had done a little digging of his own and now they had the leverage they needed to ensure that Courtney's future would, in no way, ever cross paths with Jason's.

"What can I do for you today, Miss..." The Judge started when Carly failed to state her business.

"Mrs. Corinthos." She finished, placing emphasis on her married title.

"Mrs. Corinthos." He finished, nodding, "I've been reading over your written testimony."

Carly smiled, the sort of smile that she reserved for making men melt. She got nothing out of him, though, and that just made her smile all the more. "Good." She said, "I do have a comment I'd like to make on the case."

"I'm afraid that if you want to change your testimony that you'll have to do so with your lawyer." He answered, looking back down at his papers, dismissing her.

A mistake, Carly decided. She leaned forward, "You're going to send Courtney Matthews to jail."

He looked up then, seemingly surprised. "Is that so?"

"That's so." Carly mocked, "She will get, _at least_, fifteen years for whatever charge you like best."

Before the man had the chance to say anything, because really, Carly couldn't care less about his little game, she slid the file folder she'd been keeping in her bag out and then across his desk.

With raised eyebrows, he opened it. She smiled as his face paled.

"As I said, fifteen years minimum. No option for parole before ten." Carly kept talking. She watched his mouth open and then close as his eyes flew between her and the lovely pictures in the file. "You can keep those," She promised with a smile, "I have copies. Plenty of copies."

Carly stood up then, not wanting to spend more time in the man's office than needed. She certainly didn't want to be caught there. "I trust we understand each other?"

He nodded, a little frantically, and Carly simply tightened her hand around the back of the chair. He spoke, "Yes, Mrs. Corinthos. We understand each other."

Without another word, Carly slipped out the door and into the waiting car.

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_I hope the chapter was something along the lines of what everyone wanted! Please, review! _


	20. Watching

**Blind to Love: **Watching

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_Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter! I do hope that my physical therapy is credible, but really, it's just how I think something like this could go. _

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_-- General Hospital_

Elizabeth watched Jason like a hawk. He'd casually invited her to come watch his physical therapy, a courtesy that he'd extended to no one else thus far, as though he really didn't care one way or another if she came. She'd sensed something insecure in that, which had saddened her a little. Jason Morgan was generally always sure of himself in the sense that he knew his feelings and was okay with yours. Now, being able to look back on their history with a clear mind, she could tell that this wasn't always the case, that he'd put himself out there before but often she just couldn't see it. The bright side of this, if she was forced to find one, would have to be that she was either getting close enough to him that he was letting her see these types of feelings or that she could tell without him meaning for her to.

This entire thought process had gone through her mind in only a second, because she'd quickly accepted the offer. Monica and Bobbie gushed about how well he was doing at learning to walk with a cane, but she still wanted to get better acquainted with his limitations. It was going to be hard enough to help him without adding in her complete lack of knowledge about his new condition.

He seemed to be doing pretty well, if she could give an unbiased opinion. The therapist had put out big and small road blocks for Jason to... well, _tap _his way though.

Elizabeth shuddered, she couldn't imagine just walking forward into nothingness like he was doing.

"That's a good job, Jason. Excellent! Keep the cane just a bit closer to the ground. That's it..."

The therapist meant well, but Elizabeth winced all the same. Casey, as she'd discovered the woman's name to be, kept up a steady stream of encouraging words and advice. Somehow, Elizabeth was sure she'd have an easier time getting on Jason's good side with a barrage of verbal abuse than this hand-holding.

Just watching him successfully pick out that there was a small box in his way was shredding her nerves. In her mind's eye all she could see was him having to navigate his way though icy pavement, rocks, a crowd, all of those things that wouldn't have phased him before would suddenly become a logistical nightmare. She couldn't even comprehend what he would do for a living. Jason was a very physical man. He was book smart, certainly, but none of those arenas would interest him in the slightest.

With a worried frown, she kept watching him. The next box he'd have to encounter was the flattest and closest to the ground yet. Even worse, it was a little off to the side from where he was keeping the cane. Casey was trying to correct that, but clearly as well as Jason was doing, this wasn't an overnight skill he could learn.

"Widen that sweep, Jason." Casey directed before continuing her praise.

Jason seemed to grit his teeth at that, but kept walking forward. Thus far, he hadn't said one word to Casey.

Elizabeth studied his face closely, glad for the chance to do so. He seemed perfectly able to tell when he was being watched, but since he had invited her to do just that, she could really get her chance in.

He was clearly favoring his side and wrist, but seemed to be trying not to. The cuts on his face were mostly healed. And while all of that was important, it was the expression on his face that reassured her the most.

When he'd first woken up, she was almost sure that he was just going to be someone else for the rest of his life. He'd been so shattered, so _broken_. Even when the shock had worn off, he'd seemed different. Everything that defined Jason Morgan - his job, motorcycle rides, fierce independence - all of it, seemed like it couldn't be fixed, because it was pretty much all dependent on having his eyesight.

Seeing this, watching he relearn walking, was painful, but seeing how determined he was. That helped.

Her breath got stuck in her chest as she watched him fall over that stupid little box. He fell straight down and even though Casey held up her hand to keep Elizabeth from going to him, she had a hard time holding herself back.

With only a muttered swear, he pulled himself back up, kneeled down and let his hands search for his cane. Quickly locating it, he stood up and backed up a few steps to try again.

Seeing that helped too.

_-- General Hospital - Hallway_

"I can't believe he even let you near that room." Emily said, sounding just a little bit put out that her brother had refused to allow _her _to help him in physical therapy.

Elizabeth smiled, "I wasn't helping, Emily. I didn't even say anything. I just watched."

"Still." Emily retorted, breaking off there. Clearly, she had more to say on the subject, but was holding back, because ultimately, Elizabeth had nothing to do with who Jason allowed to watch him practice walking with his cane.

"I think I agree with him about that physical therapist. She does talk too much." Elizabeth confided, lowering her voice as if Casey, who really was a nice woman, was nearby and would be offended by her words.

Emily laughed, which was what Elizabeth had been aiming for. "We could get him a drill sergeant, he might like that better."

Elizabeth shook her head, "I thought that too, but I think his need to disobey authority would get in the way."

"Well, then we'll have to send Sonny through physical therapy school." Emily said, sounding almost serious. "Jason's got no problem with his authority, and Sonny isn't likely to tell him he's doing beautifully every other minute."

Though the suggestion was funny, Elizabeth sobered a bit at that. "Haven't you noticed? They've sort of been avoiding eachother."

Emily gave her a funny look, "That would be kind of hard, considering Sonny comes and sits with Jason for at least two hours every day."

"But they're not really saying much to eachother. If Sonny talks, it's about Michael or Carly." Elizabeth explained, "Neither one of them wants to discuss what Jason's going to do now, career-wise."

"Then they're being stupid." Emily decided without thought. "They can't pretend that nothing's happened."

Elizabeth nodded, "I know, and I think they do too. Jason always seems like he wants to say something, but he's holding back, I can tell."

"I think I like that." Emily said, giving Elizabeth an appraising look. "That you can tell what he's thinking, I mean. It's not an easy feat."

"Tell me about it." Elizabeth agreed. "He's clamming up even more now than before."

Emily shrugged, "I think he wants to prove he's going to be fine and that he doesn't need any help."

"Obviously." Elizabeth said, "He's pretty much said exactly that." His words from the day before about her visit to Courtney proved that he was trying to keep going as if he could take care of himself and screw what others wanted to do for him. Elizabeth was sure that no one appreciated it.

"I feel like we're doing this all over again." Emily admitted quietly.

Elizabeth shifted in her seat to face her best friend. Suddenly, Emily didn't seem as lighthearted as she had before. "What do you mean, Em?" she asked, a little concerned by the change in subject.

"I mean...I wasn't allowed near him much after the accident with AJ. He wasn't being very nice to anyone, and I think Mom and Dad were worried he'd say something mean to me. That was while he was at the hospital, at least. I only went to see him a couple of times. When he got home, though, it was obvious how much he didn't want anyone's help."

Elizabeth nodded, "He had to start all over, on his own."

"Exactly. He's starting all over again, on his own. Well, not entirely all over, but somehow, I think this is going to be harder." Emily said. Her eyes strayed down the hall to Jason's room, where he'd thrown them out to take a shower. That was another thing he refused help for, but it wasn't nearly as worrying as walking or even just being in his penthouse would be.

Odd as a statement like that was, Elizabeth could see Emily's point. "He's strong." She finally said, trying to sound more confident than she was. It wasn't that she doubted Jason's strength, not in the slightest, but there was only so much a person could overcome before they couldn't be expected to fight anymore.

"I'm going to ask him to let me move in with him." Emily announced. She sounded sure of herself, even though that wasn't likely to be an easy conversation.

Elizabeth smiled at her, "I hope he says yes." She said simply.

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_Well, that wasn't a long wait, was it? I actually finished this chapter the same day as the one before it, but I wanted to hold off just a short while so people could read what I had just posted. Still - less than six months! I think you should all review quickly, to see if we can't keep this up (winkwink)! _


	21. Changes

**Coming Home: **Changes

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_Thanks so much to the reviewers for the last group of chapters. You're all absolutely wonderful! _

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_-- General Hospital_

"So, are you going to tell me what that cute little huddle you and Michael were in was about?" Emily asked as she flipped another page in her magazine. She had come to sit with Jason for a while, but had come in towards then end of what was apparently a _very_ important meeting between Jason and Michael. Michael had been sitting on Jason's legs touching foreheads with his uncle as they whispered back and forth between eachother. Bobbie had been reading the same magazine Emily was now, darting her eyes between the pages and the huddle.

Jason shook his head, "No."

"Important business?" She asked.

"Yes."

Emily turned in her seat to stare at her brother. Normally he wasn't a chatty guy, but now she knew exactly why Bobbie had left her magazine behind for Emily. Clearly, Michael had been the only one thus far to get much out of him. "Are you going to keep giving me one word answers or are you going to tell me what's got you so..." She made an unflattering noise to end her sentance, not willing to verbally insult Jason, but still not happy he'd gone silent on her. If she'd thought that the silence was a comfortable one, she'd have read her magazine and kept quiet, but this wasn't. Jason was in some sort of mood, and she didn't want to leave before working it out. Granted, that was probably not what he wanted, but Emily was starting to feel useless. She wanted to help, even if he didn't want her to.

Jason turned away from her, defeating the whole purpose of Emily's shift to see him better. "Sorry." He said finally.

"What's wrong, Jason?" Emily sighed, eyeing her brother warily.

"I don't know." Jason replied, sounding like he meant it. "It's..."

"Everything." Emily finished gently. She felt bad for being a little short herself with him before, because things seemed to be catching up with him again. He'd been throwing himself into physical therapy, which everyone had taken as a positive sign. It was, but that didn't mean that everything was just going to get better for him immediately. Just like physical therapy, Jason was going to have to accept this - a process. Emily hated her own seemingly stupid-deep thoughts, but it was true all the same. She didn't want it to be, she wanted to fix this for him.

And maybe she could, just a little. "Jason," She started, trying to sound like she wasn't pushing or patronizing him, "I was thinking about when you go home."

"Yeah?" Jason said, after a minute. She could tell he thought the same sort of things, but probably in painful detail.

She plunged ahead, "Well, the family is being unbearable again, lots of yelling and I was really thinking I needed to get out on my own, but you know that Grandfather would never allow it and..."

"Emily, just say it." Jason cut in eventually.

With a deep breath, Emily got to her point. "It really would be perfect, you know. I get away from the family in a half-way sort of place. You have someone to help you when you get home..."

"I don't need help."

"You do, Jason." Emily said. "There's nothing wrong with that."

The look on Jason's face said that obviously, he thought there was something wrong with that. Emily frowned at him, though he couldn't see it. "If we were reversed, would you let me go home by myself?"

Jason's jaw clenched, "No."

"Then how do you expect all of us to do the same for you?" Emily asked reasonably. At least, she hoped she sounded reasonable, because really, she was annoyed he'd even think otherwise.

"I don't." Jason finally admitted.

She smiled, glad he was willing to listen. "Then what do you say? We'll help eachother. Grandfather is hardly going to nuts if I say I'm moving in with you."

"He's not?" Jason asked, sounding a little more himself.

He did have a point. "Grandmother will tell him to shut it." Emily guaranteed. "Jase?"

Emily's head whipped to the door as Sonny knocked. "Jason." She repeated, wanting to get his answer before she left.

--

Sonny watched the siblings in the room closely. Apparently he had interrupted something. "Should I come back in a few minutes?" He asked Emily, who didn't look at him as she had when he walked in.

"Jason." Emily said, yet again.

Finally, Jason nodded. That seemed to be enough for her, because she stood up and leaned over to give him a kiss. Emily pulled away, "I'll see you tomorrow, Jason."

He nodded again and as she turned and gave Sonny a look. She mouthed, "Bad mood."

Sonny nodded, glad to have the heads up. "Bye, Emily." He told her as she walked past him. She smiled and returned the same.

"So, what was that about?" Sonny asked as he sat down. As he sat, he pulled a candy out of his pocket and dropped it onto Jason's lap. He clenched his teeth in the effort not to warn Jason before he dropped it. That sort of thing was something Jason had made clear that he didn't want anyone doing. "Peanut butter cup." He explained as Jason picked it up. "Michael says it makes everything better." Of course, he knew that Bobbie had brought Michael by before, probably with some candy himself, but Sonny had it in his pocket and if Emily said he was in a bad mood...

Jason peeled the foil back and nodded, "Tell him thanks."

"I will." Sonny promised. "You not planning on telling me about Emily?"

Shrugging, Jason popped the candy in his mouth.

"You don't have to tell me." Sonny said quietly. Things had been strained between them for a week now, and he didn't like it one bit. He knew why Jason wasn't happy with him, but for the life of him, he couldn't bring himself to fix it. Jason doing his job blind was impossible, at least with the previous job description. That had really been what was occupying his thoughts - another way to keep Jason in his organization.

"She's going to move in with me." Jason admitted. His voice tinged with something that Sonny didn't often hear. Jason almost sounded relieved, underneath all that monotone resentment that not many people could detect.

Sonny nodded, a little relieved himself. He'd worried about that too. Hell, they had all worried about that. He and Carly had gone over all sorts of possible solutions. Sonny had suggested Elizabeth, but Carly had disagreed. Not because of the reason Sonny had worried for either. Carly said that if they lived together so soon there was a good chance that they would wreck things between them again. It had surprised him, even though Carly had expressed her approval for them, finally, but it had made him proud too. "That's good." He said, thinking that of all their possibilities, Emily really would be best.

"She said she wanted to get out of the Quartermaines without hearing from Edward, but that was a lie." Jason said. "She just knew that it sounded better than wanting to live with me because she doesn't think I can do it alone."

"Have you, uh, have you talked about that with your physical therapist?" Sonny asked. He wasn't about to tell Jason that no one thought that he would, could or should live by himself. That wasn't a fight their relationship needed at this point, especially when the situation was already taken care of.

Jason nodded, "Some."

"What sort of things?" Sonny prodded. It was like pulling teeth when Jason was like this. Emily had been wrong, this wasn't quite a bad mood, though that was also when he barely said anything. No, this was an uncomfortable, insecure sort of mood, something not generally associated with the supposedly emotionless Jason Morgan. Sonny could recognize it, though, and knew they'd be seeing a lot of it.

Shrugging, Jason didn't elaborate much. "Suggestions, stuff like that."

"Jason." Sonny said, dragging a hand down his face. "You know what I want."

"And you know what I want." Jason mocked, just a little.

The truth was, Sonny did know what Jason wanted. It was going to hang over them until things were settled, he knew. "What do you want me to say?"

"Fire me." Jason quickly returned, sounding firm. He meant it, Sonny knew.

Sonny swallowed heavily, trying to clear the lump in his throat. "That's not what it would be."

Neither said anything for a minute, and Sonny was grateful for it. His eyes travelled over his best friend's determined face. He hated that this was what was going to happen. He hated that Courtney had brought this about. He had known it, the second that he'd found out about the two, that she just wasn't strong enough for Jason. Not all women could be involved with people like him and Jason. It was a fact. Carly could and he was finally sure that Elizabeth could too. Courtney? She couldn't. He'd always known that.

But he'd never, not even when Jason was in the coma, thought that she would be the end of their partnership. Jason was literally the best thing that had happened to his organization and the team they made was unstoppable - but they _had _been stopped. Sonny turned away from Jason.

"Sonny." Jason called finally.

"Yeah?" He answered, unable to turn and look at Jason, sure that it would be too much.

Jason took a deep breath. "If you won't fire me," He started and stopped, his voice a little more hoarse than it had been before. "I quit."

Sonny nodded, looking down. "You, you said it yourself. Your eyesight his gone, not everything else. We can have you switch to some sort of advisor..."

Jason cut him off, "No."

"Jason."

"No." The blonde repeated, "We're not doing this."

The grief in Sonny made him lash out, "Not doing what? You don't get that choice. You have good...you know how things are in this. You see things I don't."

"I don't see anything." Jason returned, bitter again.

"Stop doing that." Sonny snapped, "Stop bringing it up so literally every second. We know you can't see and you know that's not what I meant." It wasn't fair to snap at Jason when he was probably repeating it so often to make it more real to himself, but Sonny hated the bitter and self-pitying way Jason did it. It wasn't him at all and as far as he was concerned, Jason had to stop it.

Jason closed his eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to...to make this worse. I'm trying to make it easier for you."

"I don't care." Sonny said honestly. "Nothing is going to be easy here. You shouldn't be worrying about me."

"I am." Jason answered immediately. "I'm worried about everyone."

And that was just another new adjustment for Jason, Sonny knew. He was the protector, the rock. He'd been that for so long, Sonny wasn't sure if Jason knew how to turn it off, to let them be the same for him. "We'll help eachother." Sonny offered finally. Truthfully, he didn't know what to say to help ease Jason's worry.

"No," Jason told him, anger in his voice, "No, I'm not going to help anyone. I'm a liability, a risk."

Sonny didn't know what to say. In the mob world, Jason's blindness _was _a liability and his enforcer knew it. In the real world? His other senses could make up for it, but things weren't going to be the same. "Everyone's got liabilities, Jason." Sonny answered finally.

"Not like this."

"Worse, I think." Sonny said, surprising even himself. "Carly and her half thought out plans, that's a risk we take with her. Loving her, when she could go out there and stab anyone of us in the back, trying to save _something_."

Jason seemed to think about that. "It's not the same." He decided finally.

"Me?" Sonny asked, his voice gone questioning by then - and not questioning to Jason, he questioned himself. He'd done it before, but somehow it was now that the answer meant more - that he needed it more than any other time before.

For a second, Jason hesitated. "You can't help it."

"You can't help this." Sonny countered. "You're blind, because my sister slammed into you with a car I bought her, her high on drugs my..." Sonny stopped, his voice choked up. He took a shuddering breath, "With money that started out mine."

Jason shook his head, "This isn't your fault. Sonny, this wasn't anything you could control."

"She's my sister." Sonny said, "And I don't even want to look at her."

"That'll fade." Jason near-whispered. "You can forgive her."

Sonny stared straight ahead, but instead of the wall, he saw the future. He saw Jason, walking with a cane, he saw Jason getting ambushed, and not knowing he was in danger. He saw his wife, Michael, and the baby, left vunerable because Johnny or Francis or whoever was good but not as good as Jason. He saw himself, having to fight all over again to reassert his control over his territory, because others would try to use Jason's absence to make a move. He saw death. And then, he knew, "I won't forgive her. I can't."

"She's your sister." Jason said quietly, as if Sonny needed reminding.

"And that should mean more, I know." Sonny admitted, "But it doesn't. Carly means more, Michael and the baby, they mean more." Sonny turned to look at Jason, who stared ahead of himself, his blue eyes not seeing anything. How often had he counted on those eyes to see threats to his power, to his family? How often had those eyes fascinated Sonny, cold and blank in the beginning, sort of a mystery. Then later, when Sonny knew Jason better, when he realized, like others, that he wasn't unfeeling and emotionless, that he felt just as much as everyone else, more even, but just differently. Sonny used to like watching Jason, watching him let emotions out, watching him figure something seemingly simple or forever unanswerable. His resolve strengthened. "You..._you _mean more."

"Then you understand." Jason said after he'd absorbed what Sonny had said.

Sometimes Jason's half sentences annoyed Sonny - sometimes he was too tired to figure out what part of the conversation Jason was referencing, because often he gave no indication; but sometimes, sometimes they were so in tune that it didn't phase Sonny at all. This was one of those times. "Yeah," He finally admitted, giving in to what he'd never wanted to give in to. "Yeah, I understand."

"I thought," Jason stopped and took a deep breath. Though he'd wanted this conversation all along, though he had quit, it was harder than he'd imagined. He'd left before, but never like this. Never without the possibility of returning. He'd wanted Sonny's world to have some sort of power that no one else could touch, and it had ended up helping him to define himself. Something he was truly good at - to give that up...

"You thought what?" Sonny asked, seeing his friend's trouble.

Jason closed his eyes again, and it occured to Sonny that it had to be an old habit. He wondered, torturing himself a little, when Jason would stop doing it. "I thought I could stay with the coffee."

Sonny frowned at him, confused, "What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Jason admitted, "The warehouse is so... _useless_. But I thought, you know, it would help." Sonny watched as Jason tried to gather his thoughts. "I have to learn to read again. Braile. I know none of the invoices come that way, but if we worked something out... And I have to get used to the cane, and going out and trusting it. I don't know what else I can _do_, but I thought I could run the warehouse until..." He trailed off again, frustrated at having no clue as to what his future held. Sonny stared at him, and Jason took his silence the wrong way. "I, I get it if you don't want me to. I know... I can't _read_. We'd have to hire a secretary, Emily maybe, who could help but I thought if you didn't mind..."

"I don't mind." Sonny said finally, a little absently, and only because he was starting to realize that he was upsetting Jason even worse by not saying anything at all. Really, though, he was just in some sort of awe of Jason. That whole plan - it would scare him silly. That Jason wanted to try, when he had enough money to never do anything again, was amazing. "Are you sure?"

Jason nodded, the motion looking more firm than his expression. "Yeah. I can't sit around all day."

"At first..." Sonny started.

"I'll wait a while." Jason promised, seeing where Sonny was going.

Sonny leaned back in his chair. He felt drained, like he'd just run a marathon or negociated a dangerous deal. His mind kept running in tired circles to fix the problem, but somehow, he felt better too. The tension between Jason and himself was eased, virtually gone. That made the tiredness worth it.

"Johnny." Jason said, out of the blue.

His mind didn't quite want to work hard enough to understand. "What?" He asked, feeling slow.

"I think Johnny would be best," Jason decided, "To replace me."

Sonny winced, thinking he'd never like that way of saying it. "I don't know."

"Come on, Sonny. He's a good guard, but he'd be a better right hand." Jason said, annoyed but rising to his theme. It helped wake Sonny up, to see Jason even the slighest bit passionate about something else. "You put him at the door too often."

"It's never been an issue." Sonny said, not willing to admit that Jason was right. He often just left things for Jason to do, because he knew that Jason would do them best. Really, his men were more capable than the jobs he assigned them. Johnny being the best example.

And Jason knew it, he'd said it all along. "It's an issue now." He said, "Go and talk to him."

"Now?" Sonny asked, and looked at his clock. Sure enough, it was much later than he'd thought. They'd been sitting there talking for over an hour. Carly was probably on her way to hang out with Jason until he managed to force his way back into another session of physical therapy. "It can wait," He decided, "Until Carly gets here."

Jason shook his head, "No, go. I want to sit for a while. Think."

"We don't have to talk." Sonny offered. After all, that's what they'd been doing all week - sitting and barely saying anything. He'd hoped that would change, now that things weren't strained between them, but if Jason needed it now, then Sonny couldn't deny that he might like some quiet time himself.

"It's okay." Jason declined. "I think I want to be alone."

Sonny nodded, respecting that. They were working hard to keep it so he _wasn't _alone, but Carly would probably be there soon, and if Jason said he could handle it, then they had to start trusting that he could. "Okay."

Jason opened his mouth to say something, and Sonny waited, but he stopped himself. Instead, Jason seemed to change his mind. "See you tomorrow."

Smiling, Sonny let his hand drop on Jason's shoulder. "Yeah. See you."

* * *

_I hope that everyone liked the resolution there. It wasn't what I had in mind, but everything sort of flowed out easily. I like writing conversations as though people were really saying them, how I picture Sonny and Jason saying them, so this chapter might not have been the best grammer-wise or very easy to follow. I hope I didn't give anyone any real trouble, though. _

_**Please - REVIEW! **_


	22. Moving

**Blind to Love: **Moving

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_Thanks for the reviews last chapter, guys. I know everyone was a little bummed that it was Emily who is moving in with Jason, but I hope that Emily's explanation sorts out my reasons and everyone is comforted by the liason interaction at the end of the chapter!_

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_-- Jason's Penthouse_

"Is that too heavy for you?" Emily asked again, eyeing Johnny warily. He'd offered to help her move into Jason's apartment, which was nice of him, but after watching the poor guy cart some of her heaviest bags around, she was beginning to wish she'd just suffered through it herself.

Johnny grinned, "Are you kidding?" He asked, "You've got to remember, Emily, I've moved Carly in and out of wherever what's got to be over a dozen places by now. Your bags don't even compare."

She smiled, feeling a little less guilty. "I hope not. If you told me I had more bags or heavier ones, I'd be ashamed."

Johnny laughed, and Emily felt weirdly glad to have made him do so. "Do you have any idea what to expect?" Johnny asked.

Emily shook her head, "Honestly, no." She admitted, trying not to let her worry show. "But you know how he's being. Elizabeth and I couldn't come up with anyone else that he wouldn't totally resent having here."

"I sort of thought she would move in here instead." Johnny admitted as he brought in the last of her bags from the elevator.

Jumping up to sit on her brother's desk, Emily shrugged, "Do you honestly think that he wouldn't take that as a pity thing?"

"Even after..." Johnny trailed off, "They're getting along better. I'd thought she'd jump at this."

"She wanted to," Emily said, nodding. "But I think even she realizes that until they're a little more -"

"Cemented?" Johnny asked, sitting on the stairs.

Emily smiled, "Cemented, yeah. Anyway, he's most likely to let me help, because it's going to be a pride thing with Elizabeth."

Johnny shook his head, "Are you sure?" He asked, "Because I did just a little bit of eavesdropping..."

Bursting out laughing, Emily could hardly believe he'd cop to something like that. It didn't seem very professional, certainly. "You, eavesdropping? No, no way."

"I don't, normally." Johnny answered, completely unashamed of being caught at something that was technically rude. "But he brought up her going to see Courtney in jail, and I wanted to see how that would play out, since I told him about it."

"Well haven't you been the little gossip." Emily teased, "So tell me, what makes you think he was okay with it?"

"He wasn't." Johnny corrected, "But she told him to deal, basically, because they're _friends _and that's just what she's going to do."

Emily scoffed, "Friends? For another hour, maybe."

"Don't tell either one of them," Johnny said, leaning towards her to act as if he was telling a secret, "The guys and I have a bet for how long it's going to take before they're obviously together."

As Emily started to laugh again, she couldn't help but be relieved that she still had the skill. Things had been so absolutely terrible since Courtney had decided to _kill _her brother over _nothing_. Unless, of course, Jason and Elizabeth got over their little issues and admitted to themselves and eachother that they would be perfect together. "Anyway, think about it, he's feeling useless, right?"

Johnny nodded, "I get it. He has to prove to himself that he can still be himself, first."

"Exactly." Emily said. She jumped down from the desk and grabbed two of the obviously lighter bags, "All right, let's finish this, muscle boy."

"There had better be food involved in this favor." Johnny grumbled good-naturedly.

Emily turned around to watch him as she went up the stairs, "Does Carly feed you after a move?"

"No." Johnny answered easily, shaking his head.

"Well, then looks like it's a Kelly's burger on me." Emily laughed, turning back around to go back up the stairs. Once she was facing forward her eyes widened...What was _that_?

_-- Corinthos Penthouse_

Carly eyed her still half-plate of food, _seconds_, with thinly veiled disgust. "Sonny, you can't be serious."

"You're pregnant, pregnant women eat." Sonny said simply, pouring himself a drink.

It was time for a diverson, Carly was sure. She'd been holding off this talk, but if it would take the focus off of her eating, well... It wasn't like she was ashamed of what she had done, quite the opposite, but Courtney, no matter what else she was, was Sonny's sister. "Sonny?"

"You tried the puking trick last week." He answered wearily from his desk.

"That's not it." Carly said, a little annoyed.

Sonny sighed, turning from whatever he'd been reading on the desk. Carly knew that he and Jason had finally had their talk, and that Sonny had been acting differently ever since. She felt bad for bringing up even more that would upset him, but a secret - a _lie _- that would hurt him worse. "Yes?"

"I blackmailed Courtney's judge." Carly answered, watching her husband carefully.

Sonny said nothing; he just stared at Carly.

Carly sat up as quickly as she could, her meal forgotten by even her. She felt less confident than she had before, even when she'd been in the process of doing the blackmailing. "I had to, for Jason."

"You..." Sonny started and though Carly held her breath and waited, he didn't finish.

"I blackmailed Courtney's judge." Carly repeated. If anything, she didn't want to down-play a thing. If he was going to be mad, then he'd best be mad at her now. Stewing on it would only make the hurt worse. It was a lesson she'd learned early in their..._relationship_.

"How?" Sonny asked finally.

Carly walked towards him, "Francis and I found some...not pretty pictures."

Blinking, Sonny repeated the name, "Francis?"

"Don't give him any problems for this, Sonny." Carly ordered, "He wanted to protect Jason because they're friends. Besides, would you have rather he didn't help me? It wouldn't have stopped me if not one of your guys were involved, I'd have done the whole thing by myself."

Sonny nodded, she knew bits and pieces of their past were flashing in front of his eyes to prove her right. "He should have told me." He said finally.

Carly shook her head, "No, he shouldn't of. He just made me promise that I would, not that I wasn't planning on it all along."

"Courtney?" He asked, and Carly knew that he wanted to say more. She wasn't surprised that he couldn't give voice to a question about his sister and just how long she'd be in jail for.

"Fifteen." She said quietly.

Nodding, Sonny let his head drop into his hands. Carly held her breath again, worried. Sometimes, Sonny was so hard to predict, and she didn't want this to come between them. Their family needed to stay strong, needed to be with eachother.

"I should be mad." Sonny whispered, and Carly had to lean forward as best she could to even hear him. "I shouldn't be proud of you."

Carly didn't say anything, because really, what could she say? She let her hands rest on his shoulders in silent support.

_-- General Hospital_

It was decided, she hated nurses and orderlies. They just left carts and wheelchairs, often with people in them, in the hospital halls, blocking things and sitting there for anyone to trip on. It was ridiculous. How could anyone expect patients to navigate this?

"You're squeezing my arm again."

Elizabeth blinked and looked down. Sure enough, her nails were making indentations in Jason's arm. "Sorry." She said, loosening her grip.

"It's okay." He assured her, smiling a little. It made her feel better to see it, which he probably realized. Her own thought made her angry, though, when she looked ahead of them in the hall. He had more important things to worry about than her.

He gripped his cane as though if he let up just a little the thing would fly away from him. Thus far, he'd smacked a hip or an arm or Elizabeth into four carts, whatever that unnecessarily tall lunch tray tower was called, a woman who wasn't paying attention and had gotten ready to yell at him before Elizabeth had glared and pointed at the cane, two nurses - who deserved it, and had outright fallen down over an empty gurney that was placed just right so that his cane wouldn't sense it; but if she let go of her worry, she knew that he'd avoided even more than that.

He'd asked her to come with him, but had forbidden her to warn him about anything. Elizabeth was biting her tongue and cheeks so hard that she was sure she'd tasted blood a few times.

"Talk to me." Jason said, out of the blue.

Elizabeth turned to him quickly, "I don't want to distract you." She said, eyeing yet another trashcan.

"You squeezing my arm is letting me know when something is coming." He pointed out. "Besides, I have to get used to talking and walking."

He said it so practically, but it grated on her. Both she and Emily had noticed that Jason's outlook on the situation changed seemingly hourly. He went from practical and ready to bitter and angry. Elizabeth felt like she was starting that same frustrating cycle. Still, he'd asked her for what she was choosing to label as help. She'd be damned if she was going to let him down. "About what?"

"Anything." answered Jason as he figured out that there was a trashcan ahead of them. They sidestepped it, but Elizabeth was already scanning ahead. "How's your painting?"

"I haven't done anything recently," Elizabeth admitted. She saw his jaw clench, as though he knew that she'd been too wrapped up in him to do much of anything else. "But I've got some ideas, so I think that's going to change."

He nodded.

"Oh!" Elizabeth remembered, "I was supposed to ask you. Emily wants to know if you have an attachment to those potted plants in the penthouse."

"No." Jason answered. "They're Courtney's."

"That's what I figured." She answered, keeping things light. "You're not a plant sort of guy." When Jason said nothing to that, Elizabeth prodded further, trying to keep the conversation going. "So she can get rid of them?"

Jason kept tapping the ground for a second, sweeping his cane in the slightly wider way that his therapist wanted. She tried not to look ahead of that to see what was coming up, but really, it was impossible not to. Finally, he answered her. "Yeah, get rid of them. All of her stuff."

"All right." Elizabeth assured him, sensing the dangerous ground that they were starting to tread on. "Emily and Johnny can do that."

"Sonny can put her things in storage." Jason continued, his voice tight. "I don't want to see her at the penthouse to get anything."

Elizabeth eyed Jason warily. He couldn't actually think that Courtney was ever going to get back into Harborview Towers again, could he? She knew that he never wanted to hear from Courtney again but maybe this issue, like so many others, were hard for him to wrap his mind around. "I honestly don't think she's going to come looking for her CD collection anytime soon, Jason."

Jason didn't say anything, and that worried her even more. "Do you think she's going to try and find you? I told you, I made sure that she got..."

"I know." Jason snapped, cutting her off. When she said nothing right away, he sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She assured him, and meant it.

He shook his head, "It's not," He answered. "I shouldn't..."

"Shouldn't what?" Elizabeth prompted gently.

Jason shook his head again, refusing to answer that. Instead, he admitted, "I heard the nurses, Courtney's trial starts tomorrow."

_Oh. _Elizabeth wasn't sure what to say to that. She was tempted to ask if he knew the nurses' names, but that would be pointless. She certainly didn't appreciate that they were careless enough to talk about the start of Courtney's trail with Jason in hearing range. "That's true." She finally settled on.

"No one told me." Jason said. His voice wasn't judging, but it wasn't pleased either.

The reason for that was obvious, but Elizabeth didn't want to say it. They hadn't wanted to upset him, of course, but now... Lying about it, keeping it a secret, seemed wrong. "I should have said something."

They were reaching the end of the corridor, and with growing dread, Elizabeth realized that they would either have to turn one way or the other, but had no idea how Jason was going to sense that out. More than likely, they were going to smack straight into a wall...

"Promise me you'll tell me things, still." Jason asked quietly, his voice intense. He meant more than the trial, and she knew it.

Weakly, she watched the wall and answered him, "You have enough to..."

"No." He cut off again, but not angrily. His voice was not quite pleading, but she knew that it was as close to it as he would allow himself to go. "If we want this to work, you can't decide what to say, what you think I can handle knowing."

Elizabeth closed her eyes, feeling as blind as he was. Her chest tightened when he said the bit about wanting _this _to work. She wasn't sure if he meant his new life in general, or _them_ but she knew what she wanted to take it as.

He tugged on her arm and she gave his a gentle squeeze, not at all like the clenching from before when she was afraid he would crash. "I promise." She answered, eyes still closed.

He didn't say anything to that, but tugged her arm again. "Turn, Elizabeth." He said, sounding different than he had before.

Elizabeth opened her eyes. Jason wasn't pulling on her arm for an answer at all. He was turning them around the corner of the hall.

She followed.

* * *

_I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I'm honestly trying as hard as I can to keep updating. I hope everyone thought the chapter was okay!_

_Please, REVIEW!_


	23. Court

**Blind to Love: **Court

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_Thanks again to the lovely reviewers._

_Oh, and I don't know who the District Attorney was at this point in the show. I don't want it to be Scott Baldwin, however, and so I'm going with Dara. Also, these storylines are obviously old. Bear with any chronological mentions here that seem slightly off. _

_(I've been looking at recent clips of GH from YouTube…I find Spinelli oddly awesome…)_

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_

_------- Port Charles Courthouse_

Carly watched the court proceedings with a detached eye. What she did watch, however, was the clock to see when exactly Elizabeth deemed herself fit to enter the courtroom. The muffin hadn't wanted to leave Jason in the middle of his physical therapy and had claimed she would only be a little bit late. As a key witness to an important, though admittedly fixed, case, Carly felt she was cutting things a bit close.

She tore her eyes from the clock to watch Sonny like a hawk. It looked fundamentally wrong for him to be sitting up at the witness stand, swearing on a bible. They'd been assured by Dara Jensen that this court case had nothing to do with Jason and Sonny's work, but she could tell that Sonny was uncomfortable with what was happening all the same.

"Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I swear." Sonny responded solemnly. Dara stood at this, seemingly restraining herself from going down avenues that everyone knew she couldn't.

"Mr. Corinthos, can you tell me the nature of your relationships with Jason Morgan and Courtney Matthews?" Dara asked.

Sonny, to everyone else in the room, looked cool and unconcerned. To Carly, he so obviously didn't want to betray either one of them, even if he wouldn't let his eyes stray to Courtney and had all but disowned her. "Courtney is my half-sister and Jason is my best friend and business partner."

"You didn't grow up knowing Ms. Matthews, did you?"

Shaking his head, Sonny answered, "No, we didn't know of each other until about a year ago."

Dara nodded, "And how long after she came to town did she and Mr. Morgan begin a relationship?"

"She was married to, ah, AJ Quartermaine for a few months. They divorced, she and Jason started dating." Sonny said, then, realizing Dara wanted dates, he amended, "They've been together about six months."

"Did you approve of the relationship?" Dara asked, diving right in. Carly winced, remembering the awful rift between Jason and Sonny after her husband had found out about his little sister being with his honorary brother.

Sonny, however, didn't seem to have much of a problem answering. "No."

"Why not?"

"I didn't think they were good for each other. Never did." Sonny said, leaning back in his chair. Carly let herself silently nod, she'd believed the opposite, but now she could see why Sonny had been so set against Jason and Courtney. She'd thought, at the time, that it was all about protecting Courtney from Jason's life, but she had finally realized that it was also about protecting Jason from a girl Sonny had seen clearly at the start.

Dara turned to look at Courtney for the slightest of seconds, as if considering the question of compatibility herself. Carly didn't look at the blonde, she hoped today would be the last time they would even be in the same room. Dara turned back to Sonny, "And why his that, Mr. Corinthos?"

"Courtney's young, she wants normal and easy. She wants someone to…_adore_ her, be there all the time." He answered, looking at his sister for the first time. He didn't say that Courtney was selfish, because honestly, with the right man in an environment like she'd had with AJ, she hadn't been so focused on herself. With the constant threats to herself and Jason, the way he lived and the things he did had pushed her into something she didn't know how to deal with. Carly acknowledged this briefly before pushing it away. She pictured Jason in his hospital bed instead and the anger welled back up safely.

"And Mr. Morgan couldn't do that?"

Sonny smiled, shaking his head. "He's not easy. If you don't know him, which Courtney doesn't, then it seems like he doesn't feel a thing for anyone. You gotta look past him and see what he does for the people he cares about, how he looks at someone he loves." He pulled his eyes from Courtney, his whole face hardening. "Bottom line, he needs someone stronger."

Dara seemed to accept that as an answer. "We heard during Ms. Matthews' testimony," She started while Carly suppressed a snort. That weepy self righteous excuse for a testimony had nearly sent her over the edge. Sonny had needed to hold her leg down, just to keep her from jumping up to wring the twit's neck. "That she felt Mr. Morgan and Elizabeth Webber were having an affair. Do you believe this to be the case?"

Waving his hand to the side, clearly angry that this could be considered an excuse for what Courtney had done to Jason, Sonny answered, "No. They're friends. They sometimes seem like they'll turn into something else, but Jason wouldn't have done that."

"He wouldn't cheat on Ms. Matthews?" Dara asked, eyebrow cocked. Carly remembered Robin, against her own will.

"He wouldn't cheat on my sister. Out of respect for me, he would have broken it off with Courtney first." Sonny replied confidently. "Elizabeth and Jason were and are friends. Courtney ran him down out of jealousy, end of story."

Carly tuned things out then, as she listened to the testimonies of Jason's doctors and of Mike. Not because she was bored, but because she didn't want to show weakness with Courtney in the room. She perked up, however, when Emily sat down on the stand. Jason had given his statement to Dara the day before, and all had agreed that it sounded most tragic coming from Emily, though, of course, Jason thought that she and Dara were crazy for making everyone possible read his words just to see who made them sound a certain way.

Emily nodded confidently as she was sworn in, and she sat down.

"Miss Quartermaine, can you tell us about your relationship with your brother?" The opposing attorney asked, clearly opening with something easy. Carly had seen him avoid questioning Sonny too intensely, but he seemed to realize that they were losing, and badly.

Emily shifted in her seat, "He's my big brother, I love him and he loves me."

Carly saw some of the women in the jury tilt their heads a little, their expressions clearly sympathetic. The lawyer had to have noticed. "And were you always close?"

"Our relationship has grown more and more as time goes on." Emily answered, smiling sadly – on purpose.

The attorney nodded with a twisted little smile, "That's nice, but not entirely what I asked, Miss Quartermaine."

Emily squared her shoulders, "We never had problems, but after his accident, it did take time to build back up the relationship."

"So you were close with Jason Quartermaine?"

"He was my brother. I miss him very much, but that's got nothing to do with how I feel about Jason Morgan. As far as I and other members of my family are concerned, they are two different guys." Emily answered easily. Carly almost wished Jason was there to hear it, as he would have been quietly pleased.

Nodding as though this was a common problem faced by families, the man appeared sympathetically false, "Can you describe Jason Quartermaine for the court?"

Emily's eyes narrowed, clearly wondering where this was going. Carly glanced at Dara, interested to see if she would allow it. When the DA made no move to stop the strange line of questioning, she turned her attention back to Emily. The girl seemed to gather her thoughts rather quickly, "He was sweet, in a goofy kind of way. He teased me a lot. He was honest and good and caring."

"And Jason Morgan is none of these things, then, by your own admission?" The attorney asked, a smirk on his face.

Emily nearly stood up in outrage while Carly made sure to start a wave of disapproving murmuring on her side of the court. "That is not what I said. You do understand that 'different' and 'opposite' aren't the same word I assume?" Emily said, sounding every inch a Quartermaine.

Dara stood up here, "Your honor, I fail to see how establishing the character of a man who bears nothing on this case is helpful."

The attorney addressed the Judge also, "I feel that Mr. Morgan's brain damage bears quite a bit on this case."

The Judge looked unamused, "Unless Mr. Morgan sustained some type of brain injury that makes him more pre-disposed towards infidelity, I don't need that used as some sort of excuse, counselor."

Carly cheered inwardly, momentarily forgetting that she'd essentially blackmailed them into saying things like that. Sonny looked tense next to her, not nearly as relaxed as she'd become.

"I was attempting to show the questionable judgments that Mr. Morgan may be prone to make because of his…deficiencies." The attorney defended.

"Question the _victim's_ sister about her impressions of the relationship and move on to Mr. Morgan's statement." The Judge drolly advised.

The man, who Carly was beginning to loathe, nodded. "Yes, your Honor." He answered with a respectful little tip of his head. He turned back to Emily, "Can you tell me anything about the relationship between your brother and Ms. Matthews?"

"She seemed nice enough," Emily admitted, "And I encouraged Jason to see where things went, but as time went on, I started to see that they weren't such a good match."

"And why was that?"

Emily sent a tight smile their way, "Sonny had it pretty right. Besides, I've seen my brother in love," Emily continued, sending a brief glance towards Courtney, "And he wasn't in love with her."

-----------------

The recess was inevitable, what with Elizabeth still being MIA. The Judge called a short break to find her before Emily gave Jason's statement.

"I can't believe he was trying to get me to say that Jason is some cold-hearted lying psycho." Emily muttered, clearly staring daggers at the door to the court room where Courtney and her lawyer were talking.

Carly nodded, though inside was still somewhat disturbed that she and Emily Quartermaine were agreeing on things as often as they had been. "He's scum. He was too afraid to make some mob connection by coming after Sonny and I, so he decided to go the brain damage route and went after you to do it."

"He's trying to make a case that Jason deserved it so that the jury will be sympathetic to Courtney." Sonny said quietly, still looking tense. Carly rubbed her hand down his arm and brought his hand to her stomach. He smiled, but she could tell that he wouldn't feel completely better until they could end the case.

"When I find that Muffin…" Carly muttered as she glanced at her watch again.

"Oh my god." Emily breathed out slowly as she stared past Sonny and Carly. Carly turned, waiting to see Elizabeth.

It was Elizabeth all right, but standing next to her in a leather jacket clutching a cane, was Jason.

* * *

_Longer than I anticipated, but still I feel as if not a lot happened. Sorry for that. I hope you enjoy the cliffhanger all the same!_

**_Happy Holidays, everyone. _**

_Please, leave me a little present?_


	24. Nothing But

**Blind to Love:** Nothing But

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_I see everyone enjoyed that little cliffhanger! Thanks for all of the great reviews. _

_**Also: **__I have a poll up on my profile page. Not about updates, but a general question. I'd be beyond grateful if everyone voted!_

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_---Courthouse_

"Your Honor, because Mr. Morgan felt well enough to join the proceedings, we ask that you allow his testimony to be given in the tradition sense, rather than by Miss Quartermaine." Dara requested confidently. Though Emily's written testimony from Jason was what had been filed, she was sure that he would allow the _victim_ his chance to give his story.

The Judge waved a hand aside, "Proceed, counselor."

Elizabeth led Jason forward, though he had his cane. The last thing that he wanted was to fall flat on his face in front of the court. She made sure to glance at Courtney and saw that the blonde had her hand over her mouth, clearly moved by the evidence of what she'd done. Elizabeth turned her attention back to Jason. "There's a step to your right, and I'm putting your hand on the railing." She told him quietly.

"I've been in court before." He said, not sarcastically, but as if he was trying to reassure the both of them. The bailiff moved over to them, hesitant.

"On second thought, I'm putting your hand on the bible." Elizabeth told him and nodded to the bailiff.

The man moved forward and didn't say anything when Elizabeth set Jason's hand on the bible. "Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I swear." Jason said, nodding.

Elizabeth watched him settle himself in the chair, subtly moving away from her. She let him quietly refuse her help. Once Jason was seated, she turned around and marched past the jury and sat down next to Emily.

"That was good timing." Emily commented quietly. "Your idea or his?"

"His." Elizabeth responded instantly. She saw Sonny and Carly turn to look at her and knew that behind their row the Quartermaines were straining to listen. "My stomach is in knots, but he was… _insistent_."

"That's Jason." Carly muttered, smiling.

Before Elizabeth could agree, Dara stood and walked closer to Jason. "Mr. Morgan, can you tell me when you first met Ms. Matthews."

"66 Harborview Road. She was with AJ." Jason answered, his eyes open and staring straight ahead. Ironically, Courtney was seated in the traditional spot for the accused party… directly in front of the witness stand. Elizabeth hoped she was in her own private hell.

"It should be noted that 66 Harborview Road is the Quartermaine Mansion." Dara smoothly interjected. "And you two were introduced there?"

"No." Jason answered, "I just saw her. We didn't meet until she was my waitress at Kelly's."

"When did you begin a relationship with Ms. Matthews?" Dara asked.

Jason tilted his head to the side. "Later. She and AJ were… in some trouble and Sonny asked me to look out for her."

Dara nodded, then glanced at Courtney. "And does that trouble have any bearing on this case?"

Next to Elizabeth, Carly muttered again, "Unless being a stripper reflects on Courtney's character."

While Elizabeth agreed with Carly, Jason didn't seem to. "No."

Nodding again, Dara move on. "And so, on your employer's request, you begin to help Ms. Matthews out of a rough spot. I will assume that a relationship started while she was still married?"

That, Elizabeth thought, was a smart move on Dara's part. Without calling it cheating, which the other lawyer would object to, she was still making it clear that Courtney wasn't as faithful as she wanted to pretend. Even if the defense managed to make Jason's alleged infidelity a viable excuse for Courtney's actions, this would be in the back of the jurors' minds.

"They weren't together, but still married." Jason answered, phrasing things in a way that made it clear to Elizabeth that he was following Dara's line of thinking just as well as Elizabeth.

"And did that bother you? That you were with your brother's wife?"

Jason's jaw clenched and she knew it was because he didn't consider AJ his brother. That, however, would dredge up ancient history, something Jason didn't like to dwell on. Instead, he answered as carefully as he could. "They knew that things were over between them. That was fine with me."

"But you still kept the relationship a secret." Dara said, the leading statement opened even more avenues for trouble.

"We weren't ready to tell people and I knew that Sonny wouldn't like it." Jason answered. Elizabeth did her best not to look at the man in question.

Emily leaned over to her. "Sonny talked about that in his testimony." She said, referencing the parts that Elizabeth had missed. "He said that it wasn't just because he was worried about Courtney, but also that he didn't think they would be good together."

Elizabeth watched Jason. She couldn't help but wonder if he knew that about the situation. Dara, who couldn't really ask why Sonny was so set against them without bringing up the nature of Jason's former occupation, left that alone.

"Can you tell me about your relationship with Ms. Matthews?" She asked instead and Elizabeth's stomach clenched again.

Jason paused for a moment, clearly unsure of what to say. Articulating his feelings in such a way was difficult for him, without adding in a courtroom full of people watching him and weighing his words. Finally, he seemed to settle on something. "She was kind. Different. She didn't have a lot of… _past_ and didn't know a lot about mine. I liked that. We didn't really talk about things like that. In the beginning, she didn't ask for a lot."

Dara nodded and Elizabeth saw the jury nodding too. As citizens of Port Charles, there was not one person in the room that didn't know Jason's history well enough to guess at why he might like someone who hadn't grown up in the town.

"This was the beginning of the relationship? I assume that things began to change?" Dara asked when it became clear that Jason had reached a stopping point.

"We told Sonny the truth and after he accepted it, she moved in with me. It wasn't the same after that." Jason admitted and Elizabeth could see Courtney closing her eyes after that. "She wanted more, but could decide what that was. I tried to do what I thought she wanted, but it was never right."

That, she could tell, cost him a lot to say. He hadn't even really wanted to admit to the problems that they were having to her, his friend, let alone this whole room.

Dara didn't ask for elaboration. "Did you know that she was addicted to drugs?"

Jason scrubbed a hand across his eyes. Elizabeth hoped that it was just a habit, and not that he was wearing out too quickly. "I knew she was acting differently, I knew that she was being erratic. I know the symptoms of drug dependency."

"You did know?" Dara asked carefully.

Jason's lips twisted, not quite a smile. "No. I was an idiot. I didn't think that of her."

Elizabeth could hear Sonny's sigh and knew that no one had really jumped so far down the logical line of thought to that conclusion. She also knew, without a doubt, that Sonny felt like more than an idiot for it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Carly grasp his hand and squeeze. She felt a rush of envy… she wanted to be up there with Jason, squeezing his hand and lending her strength.

"And your relationship with Ms. Webber?"

"Elizabeth and I were friends before I left Port Charles. We both… needed each other." Jason said, almost smiling. She wasn't sure if anyone else in the room outside of a select few would notice, but she certainly did. "I left town partly to make things easier for her. When I came back, it took a while to get to where we'd been before I left."

Dara glanced at Elizabeth, "When did the relationship come up again?"

"A few weeks before the accident." Jason answered. "I know what Courtney thought. It's what everyone always thinks. Elizabeth and I are good at being more than friends, but we never manage to cross the line into something more. I've never slept with her. If Courtney had asked me, I would have told her that. I don't lie."

Elizabeth smiled, her throat tight. It was everything she could do not to stand up and go over to him.

---

Elizabeth has halfway in a daze though the rest of the trial. Jason's cross examination had started out rude and threatening. Courtney's attorney didn't seem quite sure of his plan of attack, no doubt unprepared for Jason's surprise presence, and so he'd tried to touch on Jason's brain damage, his relationship with Carly - for reasons they were all unsure of, his relationships with Elizabeth and Courtney, and his supposed mob connection.

Between Jason's even answers and the disapproving whispers from the jury and audience, the man hadn't lasted long. Clearly, he didn't really know what to do with Jason… which was, Elizabeth mentally conceded, a fairly common problem. He'd finally admitted defeat, stating quietly that he had no more questions for the witness. After Elizabeth's testimony, he'd barely asked her any questions. It was clear to everyone in the courtroom that Courtney was guilty, apparently her attorney included.

Jason, once he'd made the nerve-wracking walk back from the witness stand, had sat tense next to her. She wasn't sure entirely why, though she could come up with about twenty possible reasons. "Are you okay?" she whispered, concerned.

His tight nod was her only response, and she knew him well enough not to ask again. Bottom line: he needed the trial over as much as everyone else did.

The jury left to deliberate, something that they were all hoping wouldn't take too long. Then the rest of the room had slowly made their way outside to wait. "Do the doctors know you're gone, Jason?" Sonny asked, leaning towards them.

Jason nodded again, but didn't say anything else.

"Bobbie helped arrange it." Elizabeth volunteered when Jason didn't. "He's going back after."

"Penthouse." Jason said.

Elizabeth turned to him, nearly wincing when she saw how on edge he was. "You promised Bobbie." She reminded, quietly.

"Give it another day, Jason." Emily advised. "Unless, of course, you're just so excited to be roomies that you can't wait another day."

Carly snorted, but wisely kept her mouth shut. Jason tilted his head to the side, clearly tired and worn out. "I'll go back for tonight. Tomorrow, I'll sign out." He decided after a minute or two.

"And if the doctors say no?" Carly asked, sounding a little sarcastic. She probably just liked hearing any sign of her independent friend, since a question like that had only one answer.

"Monica will, if I ask." Jason said, clearly confident. Emily grinned at that and Elizabeth put a finger to her lips to tell his sister to keep a lid on any quips she could make about that statement. Jason was oblivious to it, however, and kept talking, "If she won't, then I'll sign out AMA."

Emily leaned back in her chair and playfully tapped Jason on the shoulder as she opened her mouth to say something. Whatever she'd been about to say was cut off when Jason violently jerked away from her hand.

"It's just me!" Emily cried, upset that she'd done something wrong.

Elizabeth stood in her seat, to give him some semblance of space. Really, they were all in a row at the courthouse, so it wasn't much more than a gesture that he couldn't see. Still, she was sure that he could feel it. "Jason?" She asked.

He was breathing heavily, his eyes closed. "Sorry, I just… sorry."

Sonny scanned the room for Johnny, who was waiting over by the door. "Why don't I get Johnny to drive you back, man?"

Next to him, Carly seemed shaken. Still, she tried to work through it to offer him some sort of reassurance. "We'll call with the verdict, don't worry about it."

"No." Jason said, "I'm staying."

"Jason, I'm really sorry…" Emily started again, reaching her hand out to touch him before pulling bit back, wary of startling him again.

"It's not your fault." Jason said, "It's just…" He made a frustrated noise, and Elizabeth knew exactly what the end of the sentence was supposed to be.

"It's just a lot of people staring at you and a lot of questions you don't want to answer and a courtroom that you can't picture?" She said, reaching out and laying a hand on his knee, because she knew that he would appreciate them not acting as though what had just happened was a big deal.

Jason sighed and nodded. "Yeah."

"All the more reason to get out of here, Jason." Sonny said.

"I need to stay. I need to hear what they decide." Jason said, shaking his head.

Sonny gave a tight nod after a moment and shook his head at Johnny to keep the guard back. "You change your mind…" He started, but left the offer open ended.

"I won't," Jason vowed, and Elizabeth believed it. "But thanks." Then, he turned to where Emily was on his other side. He didn't say anything, but held out his hand in her direction.

Emily gave a tremulous smile and grabbed his hand.

---

Jason felt Elizabeth squeeze his hand, which she'd been holding for over two hours now once Emily had let his other hand go, as the jury filed back in. No one leaned over to tell him that they were back, and he appreciated it. He didn't need to be told, not when the sound of over a dozen people marching back in rang louder in his ears than it ever had before. He'd heard, years ago while he was in physical therapy after AJ had driven him into a tree, that when someone lost one sense, the others worked harder to make up for it. At the time, that had sounded stupid. Smell cannot work hard, it just works.

Now, he could see what that meant.

Everything sounded louder now, even though he hadn't noticed it at first. It had thrown him off when he'd gotten into the courtroom with Elizabeth. Hospitals were noisy, but that wasn't what bothered him about them. Grudgingly, he acknowledged that maybe Jason Quartermaine had something to do with that. If he'd wanted to be a doctor, then he probably felt in his element within a hospital. If Jason took away the fact that he couldn't leave, then they weren't quite as unbearable. Noise really didn't have anything to do with what made him hate them so.

Courtrooms were noisy in a way that he hadn't encountered since he'd woken up blind. People whispered, probably about him, the Judge hit his gavel down, people shifted in their seats and moved around, which made him tense up as though there was a risk they were coming after him.

He knew that Sonny was in the room too - definitely with guards surrounding the room, but that hadn't made it any easier. The instincts were there and wouldn't be shut off just because keeping an eye out for threats was both literally impossible and suddenly not his responsibility.

All he could do was keep focused on the questions that he'd been asked. Dara had been easier. She was smart and best of all - she didn't need everything spelled out. That left him room to answer.

That asshole attorney for… _the defendant_, on the other hand…

He'd decided by the second question that the man was an idiot. His questions made no sense and didn't really have anything to do with what was going on. _Is it true that you're close friends with Carly Corinthos, Ms. Matthews' sister-in-law?_ Of course he was. He'd been friends with Carly for years, and she generally always made damned sure that people knew it. _Is it true that you had a sexual relationship with Mrs. Corinthos? _Yes, he had. Did he have one with her now? No. Did that have anything to do with Courtney? No.

He'd actually found that a little amusing. Was that something she'd told him, in what had to be the most confusing attorney-client meeting ever? He could remember when she'd found out that he and Carly had been together, years before she'd met Sonny. At the time, he didn't think she'd cared, but after those questions?

Then, there were the inevitable brain damage questions. At the end of the day, there were some things that no matter how hard he tried would always make him different than other people and they were directly related to the brain damage. Fine, he couldn't draw maps and he had no recollection of first grade, but it had absolutely nothing to do with whether or not he knew Courtney was on drugs or he had been sleeping with Elizabeth. Still, people who didn't have any real evidence against him always fell back on it. _Do you feel that your brain damage hinders you from maintaining a committed relationship? _

He'd kept his cool, though, sitting still and ignoring the stares that he could practically feel. Finally, he'd been let go. Still, it didn't really help; he had been even closer to all of that noise. It had started to feel like that night at Luke's that he'd first met Sonny all over again. Wrong reaction, people staring, the room getting smaller…

One minute longer and he would have stood up and walked out, with or without his cane and possible hitting people as he went. The thing that had pulled him back was her.

Elizabeth's voice, the only part of her that he could have since she was across the room, had been louder than it ever had been - louder than even the whispering and fidgeting that had been nearly screaming at him only a second before. He didn't even really care what she was saying, just being able to hear her at all had been enough.

"Does the jury have a verdict?"

Jason almost shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. His head was nearly swimming, with a sort of overload that he hadn't felt since he'd woken up at the hospital, taking in everything he saw as new and strange. The only reason he didn't move was that he didn't want to put the focus on him again, the way he had when he'd freaked out over his own sister.

"We do, your Honor."

Jason had been in enough court cases to know that two hours was actually pretty quick to reach a verdict. He'd been prepared to have to come back the next day. Elizabeth squeezed his hand again, and when the pressure didn't let up he knew it was more for her than him. He squeezed back then, holding her hand as tightly as she was holding his. When they'd first become friends it had only been a few months since Lucky had died. Elizabeth had called him for bike rides or just to talk whenever she was nervous or scared and slowly, he'd seen her grow up and learn to be Elizabeth Webber and not just Elizabeth, Lucky's girlfriend. It wasn't so much that he hated letting her know that he needed her, but rather that he liked being someone that she depended on. He felt cowardly even thinking it, but he needed her to need him.

"And the verdict is?"

"We, the people of Port Charles, find the defendant, Courtney Matthews guilty of all charges against her."

* * *

_Well, that went longer than I'd thought it would! I absolutely hate writing organized situations like court scenes or funerals (possibly because I haven't been to enough of them to have a handle on it… though that's a rather small price to pay, I think!). I generally try to remind myself that not only is this a fanfiction and so things don't need to be 100% accurate, it is specifically a fanfiction for a soap opera that brought us weather controlling machines, dead princes being stored under a hospital and one incredibly hot character who traded in reindeer sweaters and textbooks for leather jackets and guns in roughly one year. Needless to say - that helps. _

_I wanted everyone to get an idea of Jason's thoughts, since I realized that his POV hasn't really been featured often in this story. I hope it didn't disappoint. _

_**Remember, there's a poll up on my profile and reviews are love. **_


	25. Feeling the Way

**Blind to Love: **Feeling the Way

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_Thanks to all of the readers and reviewers for the last chapter. I'm happy to report that I went through my old outline for this story and re-did it (desperately needed, I won't tell you how it had the story ending, but think of the most cliché thing possible and you've probably got it) so I'm feeling way more confident with the upcoming chapters. _

_I'm trying to do the same for Shadowing Death, but until it's got an outline, I don't want to post anything. We'll see how that goes…_

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_**--- General Hospital**_

"Jason, I've talked to your physical therapist, and she says you're doing brilliantly, but that doesn't mean that now is the time to leave the hospital." Monica said, sounding half-exasperated and half-defeated.

Jason shook his head as he pulled on one of his boots. "I'm leaving today, without or without your signature."

"And you feel confident that you have the skills to live in your penthouse?" Monica asked, sighing as she sat next to her son on the bed. It was a credit to many years of tentative conversations and casual touches that he didn't move. He just felt his way along his jeans so he could pull them over the shoes.

"Emily is already there. Sonny and Carly and Elizabeth will be there." Jason listed, his voice flat in a way that let Monica know he wasn't truly pleased with that.

Monica watched Jason carefully. He'd put on clothes before she'd even got there, alone presumably, and he seemed less tense with a purpose. Leaving the hospital was inevitable, but she couldn't help but want him there where she knew he would be safe. "While I'm happy that you're letting your sister live with you, that's not what I asked."

Jason finished his shoes and straightened up next to her. His jaw was clenched, as though he didn't like her forcing his hand, "I know as much as I'm going to learn here."

"You're determined to leave today?" She asked, needlessly. He gave her a tight nod all the same. "I suppose I should be glad you stayed as long as you did."

"So you're signing the papers?" Jason assumed.

Without a word, Monica stood and walked over to the tray that he'd pushed to the side of the room. She took a pen from her pocket and signed the release papers. "I'll file these at the front desk."

Jason said nothing, so Monica turned and started to walk out of the room.

"Monica." Jason said, and so she turned back to him. "Thank you."

She gave him a smile that he couldn't see. "I would tell you you're welcome, or that you can call me if you have any problems, but I would hope that you already know all of that." She didn't give him a chance to answer, because she knew that he wouldn't have wanted to. His day would be hard enough without forcing any more mother/son moments out of him; she would have to be content with knowing that he'd asked her for this tiny bit of help. "I see that Elizabeth Webber is hovering outside. I'll send her in."

He heard her footsteps enter the hall and quiet voices outside of his door. Then, Monica started walking down the hallway. It was nerve-wracking and useful, this enhanced hearing.

He could even hear the normally whisper-quiet sound of a wheelchair being pushed towards him. "I'm not sitting in that."

Elizabeth laughed. "Are you going to make me get your mother in here?" She teased, pushing the chair closer to him.

"Monica knows better." Jason countered as he carefully kicked his foot forward and managed to hit where he thought the chair would be. He pushed it back, knowing that Elizabeth was on the other side. She laughed again.

"Cut it out." She ordered, her tone completely giving her away. "Are you saying that I'm being a fool for trying to get you to do what you're supposed to?"

The banter felt good, he realized. Especially after the tense day they'd all had at _her_ trial. Cracking a lazy smile, he teased her a bit more. "You're my ride out of here. I'm not saying anything."

She pushed the chair forward again, and this time it pressed against his jean clad legs – no chance to kick it away again. "Hop in."

"We could call it practice." Jason said, thinking of Monica's concern that he needed to stay with his therapy sessions.

"Look, you're leaving in this chair. We can do this easily, or I can get three of the burliest orderlies that I can in here to force you to sit in this thing." Elizabeth said, putting a bit of threat in her voice.

Jason raised an eyebrow. "You think three could do it?"

"No, I'm hoping the first two will exhaust you so that the third can pick your half-dead carcass up and load you in the car." She countered smoothly. "Seriously, Jason, get in the chair.

Jason smiled again and sat in the wheelchair.

_**--- Jason's Penthouse**_

"The bright-side here is that I didn't really need to work on de-cluttering." Emily said to Carly. The two had been preparing for Jason's arrival home all morning, working tensely in unison. With Emily now living with Jason, the dynamic between them had to change. Carly was not willing to stress him out even more by not getting along with his beloved sister, and Emily was operating under the same sort of idea.

"What about Courtney's… _decorative touches_?" Carly asked, remembering the stupid paintings and the potted plants.

"Okay, I had to remove some things," Emily conceded. "But that was still easy and didn't require a lot of thought. I mean, if you ask yourself 'Did Jason put this here?' about all of that stuff, the answer was always an easy no."

Carly gave a tight smile, remembering her own revelations about Courtney's interior design. "He wanted all of it gone." She said, not a question.

Emily nodded, "That's what Elizabeth said."

Carly glanced to the door for the thousandth time, "And did Miss Muffin give any clue when she was bringing him here?"

"She called and said that my Mom was releasing him. They're driving over." Emily reported, trying hard to ignore that Carly was still calling Elizabeth 'Muffin'. Elizabeth said to just let it slide, as she'd determined that Carly said it out of habit instead of any real lingering hatred, but it was hard all the same.

Carly surveyed their final product. For the most part, they'd just taken out everything that Courtney had put in, which left them with Jason's original minimalist penthouse. She'd honestly never thought she'd see the day when she was working to take items _out _of Jason's home, but it had certainly come. The biggest problem they'd had was the pool table.

Emily had come to Carly before the trial, at a complete loss as to what to do with it and, by then, willing for anyone to give opinions. To remove Jason's beloved pool table was the logical option, because then he wouldn't be reminded of the game he could no longer play. At the same time, it was very likely that he would resent what they were trying to do.

In the end, they'd left it where it was. Emily intended to keep a close eye on what he thought about it, but they both figured that they were putting entirely too much thought into a floor plan that he wasn't going to end up caring much about.

The door opened and both Carly and Emily started to rush over, anxious without meaning to be. When Sonny walked through alone, they both deflated.

"That's just the kind of welcome a man wants." He said sarcastically.

"Sorry." Carly said shortly, closing the distance between them for a kiss. Sonny could clearly see that it was nothing against him, but rather the same concern for Jason that had him nervous as well.

He pulled her close for a hug before letting her go to look over what she and Emily had essentially finished with. "This will work." He approved.

"I hope so." Emily answered, looking over the room again herself.

"You've assigned a guard?" Carly asked, hoping for specifics before Jason showed up.

Sonny held his hands out and turned to her, "Carly, would you stop? I've got it covered."

Carly exhaled sharply, but was cut short from responding when the door opened again. This time, it was Jason and Elizabeth.

"Hey man." Sonny greeted casually, when all the while his eyes followed Jason's progress like a hawk.

Jason nodded but said nothing and his expression seemed to warn Emily and Carly off saying anything. He walked forward, his hand outstretched. His cane hit the desk that Emily and Carly had left by the door and Jason moved to it, letting his hand drift across the top.

Elizabeth closed the door behind them, watching, somewhat confused, as Jason walked the length of the desk and then turned around to do it again. "Sorry we took so long…" She apologized absently, before trailing off in confusion.

"Jason?" Carly asked, seemingly just as confused.

Still, he said nothing. Instead, he reached the end of the desk again and let his hand drift over the wall and door, doing the same sort of thing he'd done with the desk. Unlike the girls, Sonny recognized it, even though he'd never technically seen Jason do it before.

He remembered, years ago, before Brenda's car had gone over the cliff or Michael had been born, when he and Brenda had been caught in a cave in. The cavernous underground rooms that Jason and Sonny had frequented for business had nearly become a coffin for him and Brenda. Mike had managed to convince Jason to work with Mac Scorpio and Jasper Jacks to find them. According to Mike's version of the events, it had been Jason who'd saved them. He couldn't draw the map that Mac had wanted, but he had instead done better and paced out the outline of the rooms as they were beneath his feet accurately enough to aid in their rescue.

Even more clearly, he could remember Jason being angry with himself about it later. That he could see the rooms and the layout so clearly in his mind, but had been unable to draw it out for others the way a child could, had frustrated him more than nearly any other aspect of the brain damage.

At the time, he had told Jason that what he had done was much better and smarter than some map would have been. Jason had grudgingly accepted what Sonny said about it, but seeing this now, Sonny knew that he'd been completely right. Jason wasn't doing some strange new kind of pacing – he was counting out the dimensions of the apartment in steps.

Sonny grinned and nodded to Emily, who either had a vague recollection of hearing the story after the fact or was just unconcerned with what Jason had decided he needed to do. "Let's let him get settled in, ladies." Sonny directed to Carly and Elizabeth, flashing a dimpled grin that promised some sort of explanation.

Carly clearly wanted to say something, but Elizabeth just nodded. She touched Jason's arm briefly, but didn't say anything and didn't appear offended when he didn't say anything either.

The three left as Emily settled herself on the couch, her focus split between her book and her brother. He probably would have appreciated her going upstairs and letting him get on with it, but she settled for keeping quietly out of the way and letting him make slow progress around the room that he'd lived in for years, re-learning it in his own way.

---

_I'll admit, I don't know how pleased I am with the chapter and wasn't entirely sure how to end it, but I figured this worked. Filler, maybe, but he's got to go home sometime, right? I'm a little surprised I got the urge to finish this, as I usually give up when the semester starts (freshman year in high school or junior year of college, it doesn't matter – my grades' loss is continuously your gain). _

_Also, there have been questions about the lack of Elizabeth and Jason lovin'. While I refuse to give much away I will say this: there are scenes between them in the next two chapters and Chapter 27 is called "With a Kiss", so draw your own conclusions!_

_**Reviews are, as always, love. **_


	26. Tumble

**Blind to Love: **Tumble

_Thanks for the reviews last chapter! _

_(I noticed that the site had a little glitch last time with the update alerts, so if you're a little lost, maybe go back a chapter and make sure you've seen it.)_

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_---Corinthos Apartment_

Honestly, he couldn't have been surprised. He'd known, of course, that once the details of what had happened to Jason were confirmed and spread, as the trial had done, that there would be threats to his territory. Even if Jason wasn't one of the best seconds in any organization, an opening in such a high ranking position would be an invitation against any organization.

That these threats were coming in so quickly was frustrating and worrying, but not shocking.

"Benny says that he's been hearing talk around some of the new guys." Johnny commented as he looked over an invoice for their next shipment.

"New blood doesn't matter to me." Sonny said easily. "They don't know shit about my organization until they've proven themselves."

Johnny nodded, his jaw tense. They'd been through challenges to the territory and even war, but not without Jason, in some capacity or another. He didn't need to tell Sonny that a lot of the whispers were that Sonny didn't have the power without Jason. He was sure that his boss already knew. "Are we putting extra men on this shipment?"

"Yeah, but keep them in the warehouse. We can't show that this is affecting us at all." Sonny said, no hesitation. He'd thought over all the possibilities that he could, over the last few weeks. Normally, he think aloud with Jason, the younger man pointing things out that he hadn't thought of.

Now, the last thing that Jason had advised him on as his right hand came ringing back… _Johnny has good instincts. Trust him._

So he started talking. Instead of confining his preparations to his own head, he spoke aloud. If Johnny thought that was strange, he didn't say anything. And when eventually, long after Jason would have jumped in and in the complete sentences that Jason knew Sonny didn't need, Johnny added something useful, that Sonny hadn't thought of, he didn't smile.

It was a good thing, Sonny reminded himself, that Johnny could follow his train of thought. Still, it felt wrong and he couldn't forget why.

Silently, he cursed his own sister.

_--- Morgan Penthouse_

"So how's this week been?" Elizabeth asked before sipping her hot chocolate.

"You'd know the answer, if you'd of been by more than once." Emily muttered darkly.

Elizabeth sighed. Emily was right of course, she had only come to see them once, early in the week and hadn't even stayed long. It wasn't as if she didn't want to be there, because God did she, but more because she had decided that he needed the time to himself. She didn't regret giving him the space, but it hadn't been easy. "Emily, he wouldn't even talk to me when he came home…"

"So you weren't going to talk him for a week?" Emily asked, incredulous. Elizabeth glared at her, and she relented. "Okay, I get it. Calm down."

"I just wanted to give him the chance to get to know his own penthouse again, without me hovering." Elizabeth half-defended, then she grinned. "Besides, I figured he was getting enough of that from you and Carly."

Emily grinned. "He told her to leave yesterday. A full day ban."

"She couldn't have liked that." Elizabeth laughed.

"She didn't," Emily reported happily. "And told him so this morning."

Elizabeth laughed again, relieved to hear that he was still fighting, in any sense of the words. "But really," She continued, sobering up, "How has it been?"

"You could ask him yourself." Emily hinted.

She nodded, "I'm going to, but I still want to hear how it's been going for you, Em." This, of course, was completely true. It couldn't have been an easy week for Emily.

"Not so bad, actually. At least, not as hard as I thought it would be." Emily admitted. Elizabeth looked surprised, so she elaborated, "Oh, it's been awful watching him and knowing why, but that's nothing new. I just meant, he's really just wanted to stay here and walk around a lot."

"You guys haven't been outside?" Elizabeth asked, surprised.

"Nope." Emily said, shaking her head. "I was sure I was going to have to grit my teeth with Max down on the docks or something."

Elizabeth nodded, agreeing. Jason wasn't the sort of person to stay inside for very long. When they'd left the hospital for the first time to go to the trial, he'd stood outside the doors for a full minute, just letting the breeze hit his face. She had been sure that he would want to go outside as much as possible now that there was nothing to stop him.

"I think he's making the penthouse the first priority." Emily theorized. "I mean, outside is going to take some time to conquer, right? This has to be easier."

"Jason generally doesn't choose the easy road." Elizabeth observed.

Emily grinned, "I've noticed."

"I guess I understand what you're saying, though." Elizabeth conceded. "The penthouse is the more immediate concern."

When Elizabeth lapsed into silence, Emily finished her week wrap-up, "Otherwise, it's kind of the same as the hospital. Most of the time he's really focused and sometimes he's really pissed in general. If he starts getting really annoying, I tell him about how worried Grandmother's been and that usually gets him out of his funk."

Elizabeth nearly snorted her hot chocolate. That was such an Emily trick… "He has to have noticed."

"Well, I only did it twice," Emily admitted, "But I'm sure he knows."

"And when in doubt, use Lila?" Elizabeth laughed.

Grinning, Emily nodded, "You act as if she doesn't know."

They laughed again, probably a little loudly this time, and then Elizabeth heard a thump from upstairs. Jason hadn't come down when she'd gotten there, something she had immediately decided was on purpose. He had mentioned to her that he could hear a hell of a lot better now that his eyesight was gone, and so she refused to let herself believe that he just didn't know she was there.

That was exactly why she hadn't let Emily call him down when they hadn't heard him coming when she'd first gotten there. She had vowed at the hospital that she wasn't going to push and so if he wanted to putter around upstairs ignoring that she was downstairs ready to help in anyway or just sit in silence with him…

She let that thought trail off with a sigh. She _wasn't_ annoyed.

When she snapped out of her little pity-party, Emily was looking at her with a far too knowing look. "Be quiet." Elizabeth said half-serious, half-teasing.

"Hey, I didn't say anything." Emily defended. "More chocolate, I think." She said, grabbing Elizabeth's near empty mug and getting off the couch to head towards the kitchen.

The noises upstairs got louder, but Elizabeth refused to get her hopes up. If he felt like what he was doing up there needed to be done, then she wouldn't push.

Instead, she stood up and went to the window. She could remember looking with him one night, trying to be what he needed, but slowly coming to the realization that he wasn't going to let her, even if he wanted her. This time, he was going to let her and she reminded herself of that.

"Elizabeth?" Emily called from the kitchen. "Do you want whipped cream?"

Normally, she'd say no. Now, however, she might as well just give in. "Yes! Please!" She called back, right as she heard Jason steps on the stairs.

She whirled around, trying not to look anxious but then remembered he wouldn't actually know if she did. "Hey, Jason!" She greeted brightly, and was pleased when her voice didn't betray anything more than she wanted it to.

But instead of a greeting, Jason, who was noticeably without his cane, turned his face towards her and lost whatever rhythm he'd had going down the stairs.

"Jason!" She yelled, which only seemed to make it worse.

He stumbled again and missed the railing, falling down the last four steps and onto the ground below. "Dammit." He muttered.

Elizabeth ran over and fell to the ground next to him. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

"You didn't do anything wrong." Jason said quietly right as Emily ran in the room.

"What happened?" She called, then, on seeing Jason on the ground said, "God, Jason, would you just hold the railing when you go down the stairs?"

Elizabeth turned to her best friend, a little shocked. Jason slowly sat himself up, shaking out his wrist, but otherwise seemingly unharmed. "Weren't you doing something in the kitchen?"

"Weren't you told to use your cane?" Emily countered, but rolled her eyes to Elizabeth. "Did I mention he's not using his cane inside anymore? He's apparently decided he shouldn't have to."

Jason grunted at Emily. That was seemed to be enough for his sister/roommate, and she turned back for the kitchen. "I'm going to make you something to drink, Jason, and I'm not telling you what."

Elizabeth watched Emily retreat back to the kitchen and Jason pull himself to his feet. She followed, a little overwhelmed. "You're okay?" She ventured, giving him a purely medicinal once over. _Right_…

He nodded, "Are you?"

"Me?" She asked, surprised, "I'm not the one that nearly cracked my head open on the tiles."

"I was fine." He countered, "I've done it before, so I know how to fall."

She raised an unnecessary eyebrow. "I take it that this has happened before."

It wasn't a question, but he answered all the same. "Couple of times. I'm getting better."

"At walking without a cane," She asked, "Or going down the stairs?"

"Both." He answered. Before she had a second to think, he carefully reached out for where he thought she was and touched her shoulder. Then, he let his hand travel down her arm until he reached her hand, and pulled her to the window she'd been at a moment before. "What were you looking at?"

Before she could even marvel at him walking forward with no cane, but missing the pool table all the same, she was pulled in front of the window. She smiled a little shakily, "The harbor."

"Tell me." He requested, his eyes closed with his face in the sun. He put a hand on her shoulder again, closer to her neck then frowned. "Your heart is beating fast."

"You just fell down the stairs." She reminded.

"You were scared?" He asked, his eyes open again.

She didn't answer, since she was sure he knew what she would have said. "Why no cane?" She asked instead.

"I don't want to use it." He said quietly, "At least not here."

And that made sense, she decided. She couldn't even fault him for it, not just for walking around without the cane in his penthouse. The stairs however… "Not even for the stairs?"

"Anyone can do stairs blind. Your body knows what to do." He answered as though he'd given it a lot of thought and consideration. He probably had. She didn't say anything, skeptical of such a claim. He picked up on it, without her saying a word. "You look down every time you're on the stairs? You never go down them with something big in your arms that keeps you from seeing where you're stepping?" He stopped and smiled then, "Rolls of canvas maybe?"

He had her there. There were plenty of times that she'd done exactly what he'd said. "Even holding something, I can see if there are things in my way." She countered smoothly.

"Emily wouldn't put something on the stairs." Jason said confidently.

She wished she felt the same way he did about it, but he'd been right when he'd touched her skin – her pulse was racing because she'd been afraid for him. She sighed, trying to sound like she was giving in to the argument, but it came out almost a sob.

"Hey," He said, sounding alarmed. "Don't cry."

"I'm not." She assured, her voice shaky. "I don't know why I'm…"

Jason didn't ask for the rest of the sentence, didn't even wait for it, before he'd pulled her into his arms. "I'm okay." He whispered into her ear. "You're okay too."

"I know."

"I'm going to use the cane everywhere else. I just need to know that I don't have to here." He said, "I don't know why, but I need it."

She smiled against his shoulder, glad that he'd admit something like that to her. "I know." She said again.

"I fall sometimes, on the stairs and I bump into things if I'm not paying enough attention." He told her, "I was glad that you didn't come earlier, Emily said I had a big bruise on my arm."

That made her smile again, more glad than she could admit. She'd been right to give him time – to give him the chance to do what he needed to do to re-learn his penthouse without worrying about what it would look like to her. "I understand, Jason, I really do."

"Just don't let it freak you out too much." He suggested, rubbing his hand down her back.

"Emily didn't seem to mind, so I guess it takes about a week to stop worrying." She laughed.

He pulled away, but kept an arm around her. "Emily threatened to take me to the hospital, the first time." He said, rather loudly.

"Well, excuse me for worrying." Emily said, coming out the kitchen all of a sudden. Elizabeth laughed, realizing that his sister had been hovering, waiting for them to finish.

Jason smiled, "Worrying is okay. Ambulances are not."

"You didn't!" Elizabeth gasped, moving to accept her drink from Emily.

"I didn't." Emily said, a little defensively, "I just offered."

Jason chuckled a little at the memory, as though he was making fun of her. He probably was. Emily seemed to decide the same thing, and pushed a mug into his hand. "Here's yours Jason, it might be hot chocolate or it might be melted cheese with mustard…who knows? Elizabeth and I will be by the couch, so you can just work your way over. Try not to spill!"

"It's hot chocolate. I can smell it." He said.

"Yep, you're right. It's a nearly overflowing mug of really hot chocolate."

That of course, was to remind him that he had to make it to the couch with the mug. Jason just grinned though, as though he liked the challenge, burnt hand or no.

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_I hope you liked the liason interaction and the update on Jason in the penthouse. I wanted to move things along a little. _

_**Reviews are love!**_


	27. With a Kiss

**Blind to Love: **With A Kiss

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_Thank you to all of the readers and reviewers for the last chapter, you guys rock! I know I mentioned re-doing the outline for this story, and thought I'd give everyone an ending point. There are 43 chapters in this story. That is not to say, however, that if you come up with an amazing idea that you slip me in a review that I won't possibly re-work things a bit ;D… I don't mind a little audience participation. _

_I also finished the outline for Shadowing Death, so I might be able to start working on that again, but for some reason, I'm not sure about how much I like what I've plotted out. I may need to let it sit a while longer. Coming Home's next chapter is being naughty, so I'm struggling a bit there. _

_Anyway, I thought that everyone would appreciate the status update!_

_**---- Corinthos Penthouse**_

For what had to be the millionth time, Carly thanked whoever was responsible for making Michael such a brave, laid-back, adaptable little boy. She didn't know what would have happened if he had been a more sensitive child who didn't react well to change.

If she was perfectly honest, she would admit that she probably didn't have a lot to do with this go-with-the-flow-whatever-happens attitude her son possessed. If she was going to give the credit to anyone, it had to go to Leticia and Jason. Her son loved them, and she wasn't the slightest bit threatened by that. If she was being even more honest with herself, she'd admit that she wasn't wired to be one of those quintessential moms who stayed home, at her child's beck and call and did everything for them every moment of the day and because of this, she was beyond grateful that her son had more than just her behind him, but instead a troop of people who loved him.

And while she wished that there were never weeks that Leticia saw more of Michael than she did, because of some new crisis or another, she had still turned out a better mother than she'd ever thought that she could be.

Jason too, was a better father than she'd thought he'd be. Sure, when she'd left Michael with Jason, she knew her baby would be well taken care of but she hadn't realized just how in tune her baby and the man she loved would be. Whether Jason was just particularly good with children in general, or he and Michael meshed together in a uniquely perfect way was uncertain. Still, it was obvious to anyone who saw the way that Michael quietly worshipped his uncle/father/friend and Jason was so completely in love with Michael.

When Jason came home after leaving without a goodbye, she'd been slightly worried about Sonny when it became obvious that though Jason had given up the title of father, he was still determined to be a big part of Michael's life. Though Michael didn't really remember Jason, he'd taken to him instantly all over again. Sonny seemed perfectly aware of his place in Michael's life and Jason's place too, and didn't seem to mind the times that Michael bypassed his advice or comfort and wandered his way across the hall for Jason. It didn't mean that Michael didn't love him, or need him, but that he loved and needed Jason too.

Michael had taken it pretty well when she'd explained to him what blind meant and how this new word applied to Jason. He'd had a lot of questions and had instantly wanted to head to the hospital and see Jason, but all together it could have gone a lot worse. And so, for the millionth time, she thanked the universe for her son.

On days that Jason wasn't doing so well, she'd bring Michael down, just because she knew that the little boy would get through to Jason in ways that no one else was going to. Michael didn't seem to mind that Jason couldn't see him. Instead, they talked about things as if nothing had happened.

Though Michael had taken the blindness in stride, his love for his uncle completely unchanged, she and Sonny had agreed to hold back the information about how it had happened.

Their first clue should have been the fact that Michael didn't once ask where Courtney was.

"What do you mean, Aunt Courtney hit Uncle Jason with a car?" Michael asked, looking confused and dangerously close to all out rage.

Sonny sighed and dragged his hand down over his eyes. He'd briefly explained the situation, but had only gotten as far as the accident. Carly took pity on her husband and put her hand on Michael's shoulder, "She thought that Jason had done something bad, and because the pills she was taking were making her act differently, she decided to hit him with her car. That's how Jason got hurt."

"Did she ask him?" Michael demanded.

"Ask him what, honey?" Carly said, confused. Certainly Courtney hadn't asked Jason's permission to perform a hit and run on him.

"Did she ask him if he did it?" Michael asked again, "If he did what the bad thing was?"

Sonny shook his head, "No, she didn't ask. She assumed he had."

"He would have told her. She could have just asked!" Michael said, shaking his head in a way that Carly was quickly realizing was his own way at marveling at the stupidity of adults. "I bet you he didn't even do it."

"You don't even know what she thought, Michael." Carly pointed out.

"What was it?"

Carly hesitated, but Sonny didn't. "She thought he wasn't being faithful to her."

Michael looked outraged, and Carly mentally put in a reminder to ask her husband just what exactly he, Michael and Jason usually discussed. "Was he?" Her son asked.

"Yes, he was." Carly confirmed. "And you're right, she should have talked to him, instead of doing something that would change everyone's lives." She said, throwing a lesson in there just because she could.

"Is that why she's not here anymore?" Michael asked. He turned to his father then, looking a little horrified. "She's not coming back is she?"

That the question had been specifically posed to Sonny as opposed to them both as all of his other questions had was more than a little telling, Carly decided. She didn't step in. Sonny leaned forward and looked Michael straight in the eye.

"Never."

_**--- Jason's Penthouse**_

Jason was standing at the window, letting the sun hit his face, when someone knocked on his door three times, not particularly loudly, and with seemingly no hesitation.

Immediately, he knew it wasn't Emily, who had gone out an hour ago and would have used her key to get back in. Nor was it Elizabeth, who would have paused at the door for a few seconds before forcefully knocking, as if to show him that she wasn't the slightest bit nervous about him, but not quite there yet. It wasn't Sonny, who would have knocked louder and not Carly, who would have pounded the door. The knocking had been too high up to have been Michael. The guards had taken to calling him to warn him when anyone else was heading up to the penthouses.

With all of that, it was somewhat obvious that one of Sonny's men was knocking on his door - definitely one of the guards. The knock had been just loud enough to ensure that it was heard, but not intrusive or startling. It was a knock that the seasoned guards had perfected and he could think of no other guard who would come to his door besides Johnny.

"Come in." Jason called. The door opened, and he could hear the footsteps enter his penthouse.

"It's Johnny."

Jason nodded, but didn't bother saying that he'd already known. It seemed to freak people out, and while he normally wouldn't care, it didn't seem worth it right then.

Johnny cleared his throat, "I, um, I wanted to discuss something with you?"

"Business?" Jason asked wearily. He'd told Sonny that he didn't want anything to do with that consult idea his friend had presented him with, but if Johnny just wanted advice on Sonny, then he could stomach that.

"No." Johnny denied, stepping further in the room. He heard the man walk over, and then a creaking sort of noise. If Jason had to guess, he'd say that Johnny was leaning up against the pool table. "Permission, I suppose."

Jason narrowed his eyes, "Permission?"

This time, Johnny didn't clear his throat or do anything that made him sound nervous or weak, "I want to ask Emily on a date. She's a great girl and we've gotten to be friends during this whole thing." Johnny said, cleanly sliding over any awkwardness brought about by 'this whole thing'. "But she's your sister, and I understand that this could be a bad time, for more than one reason."

Johnny paused here, and it took Jason a few seconds to realize that it was because he wanted Jason to say something.

But really, what was there for him to say? If Emily really liked Johnny, which Jason had distantly noticed that she seemed to, then his permission wasn't going to amount to much at the end of the day. She was already at risk just living with her own brother, but being the new right hand's girlfriend would paint an even bigger target on her back. It wasn't for a second that he thought that Johnny wouldn't take care of her, and Sonny too, but that didn't calm the need to say no to protect her.

Jason turned away from Johnny, putting his face back in the sun. "You might have to make a choice…" Jason started, but trailed off because he knew that anyone in Sonny's organization knew exactly what he was talking about.

"If it gets too dangerous, I would let her go." Johnny said, sounding confident and like he meant it. It occurred to Jason that Johnny, while an important part of the organization, had never had to make such choices before. It sounded easy in the beginning, to love a girl and then to love her enough to let her go when the other choice is surely death. It wasn't so easy later, to send your best friend to the altar to break it off with the woman you loved, or to let her fly away to another country, or to live in the same town as her but be unable to get closer for fear of her death.

That wasn't Jason's place to tell Johnny, however. Nor was it really his place to keep his sister and Johnny apart. If he could push away an entire family in the pursuit of doing what he wanted and being free, then he had to let Emily make that choice. She would know damn well what she was getting into, and he had to trust them both.

Jason nodded again, and Johnny seemed to straighten up. "You won't arrange for my death if I ask her on a date?" The man questioned. He sounded like it was supposed to be a joke, but it ended up falling flat. It could have been, Jason admitted, a very real possibility.

He didn't respond, instead only raising an eyebrow. He wasn't so good with expressions of emotion or anything like that, but he was pretty sure that his face conveyed some sense of _For asking her out? No. For something later on down the line… that option is still on the table._

Johnny let out a relieved laugh, but Jason could tell that the message had gotten through. Sure, he had to let Emily make her own choices, but that didn't mean that he wasn't allowed to hedge the bet a little.

_**---**_

Hours later, Jason opened the door to his penthouse when he'd heard Elizabeth knock. "Hello, come in." He said, before she'd even gotten a word out.

"Oh, aren't we being the perfect little host today?" She teased, but walked in all the same. "What if I had been Taggert?"

"You weren't." Jason said, pointing out the obvious. Elizabeth laughed, but didn't ask for an explanation as to how he'd known that it was her.

He closed the door and turned, letting his hand drift over his desk. He walked over to where he thought she was. "Emily isn't here."

"I know that, I just saw her at Kelly's." Elizabeth told him as she sat down on his couch. "Can't I come just to visit you?"

Jason sat down on the couch next to her, "You can."

"Good. I'd be really offended if you thought that I only came by here to visit her." Elizabeth said, only half joking.

Jason smiled at her, and then leaned forward, "Johnny is going to ask her out."

Elizabeth gasped, sounding more like a gossiping girl than she'd liked. Still, he'd brought it up… "How do you know?"

"He asked if it was okay." Jason told her, "Well, really he asked if I would kill him if he did."

"And?" Elizabeth asked, shifting closer to him.

"It's Emily's choice if she wants to date him or not, and I won't kill him just for asking her out." Jason explained. He wasn't entirely sure why he'd even told her, considering it wasn't really his to tell, but he did want to hear what she thought of the situation. She was, of course, a little more acquainted with the whole thing than he liked to think about.

"_Just _for asking her out?" Elizabeth repeated, having picked up on it immediately. When Jason didn't respond, she tapped him on the chest. "I get it, big brother."

He turned his head away, hiding a grin. "Probably better if you don't tell Emily."

"What, warn her about Johnny. No way, would take all the fun out of it for her." Elizabeth said, sounding every inch a girl.

"I meant about the permission." Jason clarified. He leaned into her again, as if sharing another secret. "I don't think she'd appreciate it."

Elizabeth sensed the shift in conversation. Jason sounded as though he really was concerned his sister would be angry with him for being apart of her new boyfriend asking her out. "She won't be mad."

Jason didn't have anything to say to that, but something in his face must have given his skepticism away because Elizabeth laughed. "I'll let you in on a secret, okay? All girls say they want to choose their own guy, family expectations be damned and that's how it works out a lot of the time. But Jason, all girls get weirdly touched over gestures of any kind."

"Gestures," He repeated as though the word was foreign.

"Yeah, listen next time you hear a girl say her fiancé asked her father for permission, you'll see what I mean." Elizabeth said, smoothly glossing over the fact that any man who asked _her _father for her hand in marriage was automatically no longer her boyfriend, let alone fiancé. Jason knew that, so she used the comparison all the same. Without letting things get awkward… _for her_… she continued, "Trust me, girls think guys making gestures and making the first move are incredibly sexy. Emily will be so touched Johnny would come to you, she won't even care about the fact you had a say in her next boyfriend."

Jason didn't say anything to that, and Elizabeth was afraid she'd done the opposite of what she'd set out to do, namely reassure him. "Jason?"

"Would you like that?" He asked, a little randomly. She wasn't sure exactly what part of the conversation he was referencing, and before she could ask, Jason leaned forward and kissed her.

She was shocked, for a second. They'd been taking things so slowly, she'd almost felt that they were in danger of stalling out. As if he'd noticed her complete and total lack of reaction, he pulled back ever so slightly and just brushed his lips against hers. "Okay?" He whispered.

Elizabeth didn't have an answer for that – _God, yes, now kiss me again _– at least, not a verbal one. She grinned, and let her hand tangle into his blond hair. She pulled him back in for another kiss.

If Emily said no to Johnny and rushed to the penthouse to talk to her best friend or brother about it in the next hour, Elizabeth would kill her.

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_I'm not entirely sure how pleased I am with the chapter, but here it is all the same. _

_First kiss! Let me know what you think in a review, please. _


	28. Girls and Boys

**Blind to Love: **Girls and Boys

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_Thanks so much for all of the reviews last chapter! I apologize for this chapter… I'm not a huge fan of it and at this point I'd like to just get passed it. _

_**Attention all Shot in an Alley/Together fans!**__ The newest chapter in my one-shot series, At Random, is a little mini-splice from the Shot universe. The word that I was given made me think of the story and so that's where I went. I hope you all enjoy it!

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_

_**- Corinthos Penthouse -**_

Jason sat on Sonny's couch, without his cane. Not because he hadn't brought it over after Emily reminded him of his promise to use it when outside of the penthouse, but because Michael had asked to see it as soon as his uncle had worked his way onto the couch, and Jason had immediately handed it over. He couldn't be sure exactly what the boy was doing with it, but based off of the number of bangs and bumps and giggles he heard, he'd have to guess that Michael had his eyes closed and was checking out the cane in a way that only a little kid would.

Sonny hadn't said much, but Jason didn't need him to. He could practically feel the tension in the room, and was fairly certain it had nothing to do with him. It was a rare situation when Jason was the one who needed to open the conversation. "You watching him?"

"He's pretending he's blind." Sonny said, in the sort of way that indicated he didn't like it.

"If that's what it takes to make him okay with it…" Jason said, trailing off and shrugging his shoulders.

If Jason had his sight, he would have seen Sonny's head snap back to Michael, as though seeing the activity in a different light. Still, Sonny wasn't sure how he felt about Michael mimicking Jason in this new way. "He breaks something, we're blamin' you."

"Why, because Carly's not going to yell at me?" Jason asked, amusement in his voice.

Sonny sat down on the couch, keeping an eye out for Michael, the cane and the breakables. "Of course not, man. I'd say you got months left on that."

Jason shrugged again, as though this didn't much matter to him either way. Carly had never truly bothered him, but if she wanted to lay off him for a while longer, that was fine by him.

Sonny watched Jason carefully. "You have something you'd like to share?"

"No." Jason said, gliding right over the fact that he'd made out with Elizabeth and while they hadn't said so in so many words, he was fairly certain she was his girlfriend. "You?"

The quick counter let Sonny know that he wasn't fooling Jason a bit. "Business, man." He sighed, returning to the wet-bar.

Jason waited for a moment, but it was clear that Sonny wasn't going to elaborate. He turned his head away, jaw clenched. A month ago…

"Hey now." Sonny said, noticing Jason's mood. "You were the one that wanted to be completely out, Jason, I was willing - "

"I know." Jason snapped. He shut his mouth quickly, before something worse could come out. He didn't realize how frustrating this would be for him. Thus far he'd had learning the penthouse to worry about, but sitting here with Sonny and having his former business partner unwilling to tell him about the trouble that was obviously going down…

He couldn't even imagine what it would be like if a situation escalated to the point that he might be sent to Sonny's island along with Carly and Michael. That, he decided then and there, was never going to happen, Sonny's orders and the danger be damned.

"I'm sorry." Sonny said, letting out a gust of air as though literally deflating. "It's hard for me too."

Jason shifted in his seat, restless in a way he wasn't sure how to fix, wasn't even sure if it _could ever_ be fixed. "Is something going on?"

Sonny didn't answer him for a long moment. Jason wasn't sure what he would do if his friend put him off with some line about it not being Jason's problem. It _was_ and it always would be, even if he was no longer on the front lines.

"Yeah." Sonny said finally, simply, and Jason could hear the _clink_ of the tumbler against Sonny's wedding band. "No different than what we thought it would be."

"Because they're using me as an opening." Jason stated, feeling a new wave of bitterness well up in his chest.

The couch shifted and Jason knew that Sonny was sitting next to him now. "Don't matter why."

"It matters to me." Jason countered.

"I know." Sonny said, putting his hand on Jason's shoulder. "It doesn't change a thing, Jason. I'll take care of this, and things will calm down."

Jason turned away, even though there wasn't anything to turn away from in _his_ vision, "You don't know that."

The two men sat together on the couch, unable to talk and plan and work as they had. They listened to Michael work his way around the room, giggling and smashing into things.

_**- Kelly's -**_

The guards eyed the table closely, though there was no sign of trouble, which was disconcerting in and of itself. Carly, Elizabeth and Emily were sitting, laughing, as though they were… old friends might have been the way the saying went, but the guards were pretty sure that _not-mortal-enemies_ conveyed the strangeness of the situation just fine.

Carly had certainly noticed the same thing. She had never been so great at having female friends, so sitting around Kelly's eating something blissful that Sonny wouldn't approve of and talking to a Quartermaine and a girl Jason was in love with was just surreal for her as it was for the Sonny's men.

"Why should I have to spill about me and Jason if you won't say anything about Johnny?" Elizabeth countered to Emily's argument. The two girls were playing sly with their respective relationships, but Carly was having none of it.

"You're both grinning like idiots, so don't bother to deny it." Carly said, rolling her eyes at them. Johnny and Emily she wasn't so sure about, it seemed strange to her, but if she were Elizabeth she would have been shouting it from the rooftops.

"I'm not denying anything," Elizabeth said, sounding a little prim for Carly's liking, "We're just not _defining_ anything."

Emily grinned, "I think that's more romantic than being his girlfriend. No words to hold you together, just your feelings and the decision that you make everyday to be with him."

Carly arched an eyebrow, "If that's your attitude towards marriage, I can see Edward having another heart attack." She predicted before breaking out into a grin, "I wholeheartedly approve."

Elizabeth snorted, "Jason would too."

"Just another reason I'm going to keep things quiet for a while." Emily explained, "I get enough crap from Grandfather about living with Jason as is."

"And when he finds out you're dating Johnny, Sonny's new right hand man…" Carly teased, pleased when her voice didn't betray how those words hurt her. "He'll have a heart attack. I like either plan."

The youngest Quartermaine granddaughter shrugged. "Grandmother will be more forgiving, especially if she's still on a high from finding out about you and Jason."

"I don't see why she'd be so happy about it," Elizabeth said with an insecure shift in her chair. "But if it keeps Jason from having to attend a Quartermaine funeral, then I guess you can announce it all at the same time."

That statement, Carly decided, was telling. It made her feel a little bit better about the fact that Elizabeth was adamant about that whole 'not defining things' bullshit when it would have made Carly's year to get any sort of romantic dedication from Jason, once upon a time. If Elizabeth was just the slightest bit aware that she wasn't good enough for Jason, that no girl was good enough for him, well… it made her more worthy in Carly's eyes, in a strange way.

Emily didn't seem to feel quite the same way. She rolled her eyes at her best friend. "Grandmother thinks you're wonderful for him and she asks for updates whenever I visit."

"Updates?" Elizabeth said, choking on her milkshake just a little.

Grinning, Emily leaned back in her chair, the picture of smug satisfaction. "We're eager for any new developments." She said cryptically. After a second, she turned to Carly, "And she wants me to ask you to visit too. She wants to hear more about the baby and how things are going."

Carly almost flushed with pride. Lila Quartermaine wasn't quite her idol, but she was still the sort of lady that Caroline Benson would have died to know. "I'll have to stop by then."

Elizabeth nodded to the second dessert Carly was steadily working her way though. "Are you just going to call that a 'craving' if Sonny finds out?"

"The guards wouldn't dare tell him," Carly said, voice dropping in tangible threat. "And Jason's maybe girlfriend or not, I'll kill if he finds out from you."

"I believe that." Elizabeth said, laughing, which threw Carly for a little bit of a loop. She didn't like not being able to threaten Elizabeth and have the girl take her seriously. Laughing with friends, especially friends she hadn't slept with, though, was interesting and maybe worth it in its own way, she decided.

Carly looked down at the last bite of her dessert, trying to decide if 'emotional stress' and being thrown so far out of her depth that she might well be in another dimension could be considered plausible excuses to order a third.

When Emily launched into a narrative about Carly's hypothetical revenge on Elizabeth and made it so ludicrously funny that all three of them were hard pressed not to laugh, she decided it was.

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_Please excuse the somewhat filler-ish nature of this chapter. I was honestly stumped. Reviewing is a sure way to sort me out, though!_

_And remember the Shot/Together one-shot continuation in At Random!_


	29. Wrench

**Blind to Love: **Wrench

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_Thanks to all of the reviewers for the last chapter. I originally had this chapter as two, but decided it worked better all as one grouping. I tell you this because I thought people might like an updated chapter count: As of now, there are 42 chapters in this story, which means we're over halfway done!_

_Sorry for the delay, I've been having fun dabbling in other fandoms (none posted yet) and writing for At Random, the oneshot series.

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_

**-Kelly's-**

Elizabeth watched, somewhat amused, as Emily came into Kelly's and dropped herself down at the counter with a sigh that sounded so world-weary that she was almost compelled to clap. "Bad day?" She asked with an arched eyebrow.

"You have no idea." Emily said. "I kept telling myself the entire time that I visited with Mom and Dad that if I could make it through the yelling, I would have a nice lunch date with Johnny to look forward to, but then he called and says he has a work emergency and cancels on me."

That, Elizabeth decided, was a problem she could relate to. She almost felt guilty, being so relieved that Jason was no longer involved and at risk when Emily was just now getting thrown into the role that Elizabeth had once sort-of had. Before she could come up with something hopefully sympathetic to say, Emily barreled on. "And Jason deciding to take over the entire living room with his motorcycle wasn't exactly the best way to wake up this morning."

Surprised flooded Elizabeth. Jason was working on his bike? The bike that he could no longer ride – could never actually drive again? It seemed masochistic in the extreme. "Why is he doing that?" She asked, a little faintly.

"Who knows?" Emily groused. "He certainly didn't want to tell me, especially after I told him he was making the entire place smell like motor oil."

"Maybe he's just bored." Elizabeth said, thinking about Jason cooped up in the penthouse for so long. She needed to figure out a way to drag him out of there.

Emily shrugged, "Probably, but I'd still rather he kept working on Braille," She admitted, "That doesn't smell and it definitely doesn't take up most of the first floor."

"How much space can one bike take up?" Elizabeth asked.

Emily opened her menu, scanning the same choices she'd seen a thousand times already. "When he's got all the individual parts on paper towels spread out all over the place? A lot of space, actually. That's why I offered to pick up lunch, to get out of there for a while."

"Well, after your day, I think I could whip up something chocolaty." Elizabeth grinned.

Emily hesitated, "The only thing that could even possibly be better…"

Elizabeth smiled and made a 'get on with it' gesture. Somehow, she had an idea of where this was going.

"I know your shift is going to be over soon and I was wondering if you could maybe drop Jason's lunch off for me so that I could, um, see Johnny off?" Emily asked, almost wringing her hands.

"I'm pretty sure that Jason wouldn't mind waiting to eat until you got back, especially given the circumstances." Elizabeth said, even though she knew she was going to Jason's penthouse in approximately twenty minutes.

Emily frowned, "I'm trying not to really mention Johnny in front of him. He was really good about us dating, so I don't want to remind him of it too much."

Nodding, Elizabeth raised her order pad up, "Webber Delivery Service, what will your order be?"

Emily laughed and the relieved look on her face made Elizabeth almost feel guilty, again, on their reversed positions. What a price to pay…

**- Harborview Towers -**

Elizabeth stepped through the elevator doors before they closed, clutching a Kelly's bag in her hands. She'd gotten off her shift in record time, probably because she'd casually mentioned to the other girl that she was bringing her boyfriend lunch and she'd gotten that pitying look again. Still, it kept her from having to be the one who stayed behind waiting for the next shift's waitresses, so really she couldn't be too mad.

She wasn't, however, going to tell Jason about the exchange.

Before she could knock on Jason's door, it opened and she gave a big smile, pleased he'd guessed it was her again. Instead, it was Sonny.

"I'm sure you're not that happy to see me." He teased, closing the door behind him.

She tried not to visibly wilt. "I am happy, but no, I thought you were going to be Jason." She said, but then winced, remembering that he wouldn't have seen her greeting at all.

Sonny picked up one what she was thinking, "You'd be surprised, how much he gets out of, you know, how your voice sounds."

She nodded, not really wanting to discuss this with Sonny. "I'm doing a lunch delivery for Emily." She explained.

To Sonny's credit, he didn't question her on her unwillingness to discuss any relationship concerns with him. Probably, he didn't much want to have such a conversation either. "I heard Johnny calling her." He volunteered, shaking his head. "Don't tell Jason this, but I think he's insane for allowing it."

"I don't think it's so much him _allowing _it, but him recognizing that it's not really his to control." Elizabeth explained with a rueful smile. "But I think Emily and Johnny are more on your way of thinking."

He shook his head in a way that made her think that he still didn't approve. It made her think that a lot of Jason's ideas on relationship/mob restrictions came from Sonny… a thought that almost made her frown at him, as though all of their difficulties were his fault. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice. When he turned back around to her, he was smiling.

"Keep an eye on him for me, will ya?" He asked, flashing a dimpled grin.

Elizabeth smiled too, "Between Emily and Carly, I won't even need to."

Sonny barked out a laugh, "Poor bastard…" He said, walking away and shaking his head.

Elizabeth didn't bother knocking on Jason's door this time, sure that he had heard her talking with Sonny. Jason had seriously gained some sort of paranormal hearing with the loss of his eyesight and occasionally held people to the new rules of his hearing. He still didn't liked being warned, but even more so since he sometimes expected people to remember that he heard ten times better than they did and was likely already aware of what they were warning him about.

The first thing that hit her was the smell. Motor oil and grease, thick in the air, and Elizabeth almost gasped at the smell of it. "Maybe you should open a window, Jason."

Jason tilted his head in her direction, but didn't turn to face her fully. All over the room he had strewn motorcycle parts on paper towels on the floor. In his hand there was some sort of part – God knew she had no idea which – and a wet, nasty rag that was almost completely black. Add in a pair of coveralls and he could have been a mechanic.

"You're taking apart your bike?" She asked, a little needlessly, but the sight in front of her had momentarily shocked her. Sure, she'd been warned, but it wasn't every day she saw her blind boyfriend and about fifty metal parts on paper towels scattered in one of the best penthouses in the city.

Jason nodded, working his hands over the piece in his hands without looking at it. "I wanted to see if I could." He admitted.

Elizabeth carefully stepped her way over to him before unceremoniously dropping down to sit next to him in (what she hoped was) a clean patch of the floor. "Well, you've told me that you do this sometimes, so I bet you'll get it back to together, just maybe not as fast." She said, meaning every word.

Jason shifted, turning to face her even though he couldn't see her. It was probably more for her, but she appreciated it all the same. "Emily is going to say goodbye to Johnny."

This was not a question. "How did you know?" She asked, though not surprised.

"She was supposed to come back, you did instead. Besides, Sonny said a little about it." He trailed off for a second, hands gripping the metal a little tighter. "This is something I would have taken care of alone, but Sonny's going with Johnny to make sure everything goes smoothly." He dropped the metal into his lap and brought a hand up to rub his forehead, smearing grease on to the skin he touched.

Elizabeth watched him closely. It wasn't a gesture she'd seen him make before. Instead of asking, she commented on the black mark across his forehead. "You just smeared motor oil or something on your face."

He pulled his hand down sharply, a frown on his face.

"Do you have another towel?" She asked, standing again and surveying the room. "One that isn't already black?"

"I don't know." He said shortly.

She didn't respond to that, instead she went to the kitchen to see if he'd left anything behind that could be considered fabric and clean. The paper towel rack was nothing put a cardboard tube and there weren't any dishtowels in sight. Without bothering to go back and ask Jason, she started rummaging around in drawers and cabinets, hoping to find something. After a minute, she found four or five dishtowels crammed behind a box of cereal – Emily's work no doubt. She could imagine her friend being unwilling to get in Jason's way, but fully aware of the messy activity he was going to be taking over their living room with and hiding a few rags for later.

Elizabeth walked back into the living room. Jason was leaning against the back of the couch, eyes closed and mouth tight. "Are you okay?" She asked, without meaning to. She knew he wouldn't want to talk about how he felt, considering how often he'd been asked lately.

"Headache," He grunted. "Sorry."

She was surprised he'd admitted it and even more so that he would apologize for not being the best of company. As soon as the surprise registered, however, she felt guilty. He was her boyfriend, even if they weren't holding hands in Kelly's or making out in the park. Why shouldn't he tell her if he wasn't feeling well? Why should she be surprised that he cared if he was being less than welcoming because of it? "It's okay." She told him and meant it.

She sat down next to him with her newly dampened rag and started to wipe at the spot on his face. "Is it a headache because you've been focusing too long or…"

"Or is it a headache because I've gotten my head bashed by too many cars?" He asked, a little bitterly. "I used to have headaches like this all the time. I remember waking up one morning and my head didn't hurt and I didn't feel confused."

She finished with his face and threw the rag aside. Without a care to her clothes, because God was he filthy, she leaned into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. His arm came around her tightly. "That was strange?"

"Yeah, I guess. I remember thinking that this must be how the Quartermaines could stand all the yelling they did. That not confused and not hurting was how Jason Quartermaine had lived – I wasn't sure if I liked it." Jason explained softly. "Either way, the headaches went away."

"And now they're back." She finished. "Are they the same as before?" She asked curiously.

Jason only shrugged, "Did you bring lunch for yourself?"

Elizabeth reluctantly pulled away from Jason, retrieving the bag she has set down in the face of his motorcycle maintenance. "Yep. I figured we could eat together."

"Good."

She paused for a second, still uneasy about the pain obviously on his face. "Would you rather take a nap first? We can eat later."

He waved his hand, an odd gesture when shaking his head would have made more sense, giving her even more of an idea about his headache and then rubbed his fingers together, as if only then noticing how grimy they were. "I should wash up."

"You really should." She agreed, laughing. "You do that and I'll…" She trailed off, taking in the decimated penthouse, "Find us somewhere to eat."

Jason stood up and carefully slid his feet forward to determine where the parts to the motorcycle were on the ground. When he got to the stairs, she resolutely didn't watch him go up them. Instead, she abandoned the idea of eating at the coffee table, it being a dumping ground for old paper towels and wondered if he was going to want to work his way into the kitchen. Her eye caught on the pool table, and she decided to take a chance.

When Jason came down the stairs again almost ten minutes later, Elizabeth met him at the bottom of the stairs. "I hope you won't mind." She hedged.

"Won't mind what?" Jason asked, slipping his arm through hers as though _he_ were the one leading _her_ to lunch.

Elizabeth had already cleared a path to the pool table and when Jason's hands ran across it, he frowned. "I don't think a chair will go high enough." He said slowly, unsure.

"I actually thought we could picnic. I put a sheet over the felt, so we won't wreck it." Elizabeth rushed to explain. She hoped her idea for the pool table being viable again, their own little spot still, wouldn't make him mad. When Jason didn't say anything right away, she felt her stomach clench nervously. "We can eat in the kitchen if…"

"This is great." He assured her, sliding his hand forward to get the dimensions of what she'd designated as his space to sit. He hopped up onto the table easily. Elizabeth hadn't moved and so he leaned forward to kiss her. Immediately, she responded, putting her hand on his jean clad knee to steady herself as she tilted her head up to meet Jason's. Pulling back after a long minute, Jason smiled almost against her lips, "This is great." He repeated.

Elizabeth smiled again and Jason gave a little groan. His tongue darted out, licking the corner of her lips, as his mouth moved next to her ear. "I love your smile." He whispered.

As Jason kissed his way back to her lips, Elizabeth decided she wasn't really ready for lunch yet.

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_And here ends our chapter. I hope everyone enjoyed it! I have a __**new poll**__ up on my profile, just out of curiosity, so I hope everyone will quickly stop by. I'm getting more comfortable with the idea of writing stories that would be a decade too late and I want to see what sorts of things people are interested in that maybe aren't as completely represented in the GH section. I'm actually working on an outline for a new story (who knows what will come of it, however), so yeah… We'll see. _

_**Reviews are love!**_


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